Artifacts to Art

Bythe mid-twentieth century, ancient Mexican artifacts had undergone a strikingtransformation. Once dismissed as anthropological curiosities, sought aftermore for their ethnographic value than aesthetic merit, they had becomeprized artworks that were prominently displayed in major US museums, featuredin advertisements and Hollywood films, and shown adorning the homes ofcelebrities.At the center of this shift was EarlStendahl, a savvy Los Angeles art dealer who played a pivotal role in shapingpublic and institutional perceptions of these objects. Through strategicmarketing and a keen eye for opportunity, he repositioned these artifacts,selling them to an elite clientele that included movie stars, wealthycollectors, and museum curators. In doing so, he helped define a new canon of"ancient American art."Beneath this glamorous facade,however, lies a darker narrative of the looting, smuggling, and forgery thatfueled this midcentury craze, exposing how the desire for authenticity andprestige often came at the expense of ethical collecting practices andcultural heritage. This book brings together art history, museum studies, andthe politics of the antiquities trade, offering both a social history and acritical examination of how ancient Mexico's past was sold intwentieth-century America.