Idol at Copán – Frederick Catherwood (1844)

A Maya king, life-size and serene, standing alone in the tropical forest. In this 1844 view, Frederick Catherwood depicts one of the great carved stelae of Copán, which he called an “idol”. The ruler faces us with a calm, almost meditative expression, crowned by a towering headdress of feathers and masks, his arms folded on his chest, his body covered with jewels and intricate ornaments. Around him, palm and banana trees close in, as if the jungle were keeping his secret.

Catherwood drew this stela during his 1839 expedition with the American writer John Lloyd Stephens, when Copán still lay hidden in the forest of western Honduras. Faced with carvings unlike anything in European art, he worked for days to capture every detail. The result, published in Views of Ancient Monuments in Central America, Chiapas and Yucatan (London, 1844), is one of the most striking images of Maya art ever printed.

The stelae of Copán

The kings of Copán had themselves portrayed on monumental stone stelae, carved in deep relief and covered with hieroglyphic inscriptions recording dates, rituals and royal deeds. Most date from the 7th and 8th centuries, the golden age of the city. Copán has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1980.

• Artist: Frederick Catherwood (1799-1854)
• Date: 1844
• Source: Views of Ancient Monuments in Central America, Chiapas and Yucatan
• Technique: colour lithograph
• Place: Copán, Honduras

A tall, vertical composition with a strong presence, ideal for a hallway, a study or beside a bookcase. Hang it as a pair with Idol and Altar at Copán, or as a trio with El Castillo at Chichén Itzá. Discover all of Catherwood’s Maya views in our Frederick Catherwood collection.