Q Where did the images of the Bonampak Suite come from?

A They were derived from an ancient Maya site in Chiapas, Mexico, that lay buried in the jungle from the late 8^th century until rediscovered in 1946 when a group of Lacandon Indians led photographer Giles Healey to the ruins.

Q Were they in perfect condition, as they appear in the images Papalotl has produced?

A No. Although they are the finest and most complete murals yet discovered in Maya art, they had been affected by time in various ways. Calcified deposits covered portions of the murals and actually helped preserve what lay beneath to some degree. Colors were faded and details missing in spots. Of the three rooms completely covered by murals, Room 1 has perhaps been most fortunate in its condition. Large portions of Rooms 2 and 3 have damage that obscures large sections of intricate battle scenes and victory rituals after the battle. Still, many fine figures and clusters remain in a state sufficient to reveal the idea of the original pieces.

Regarding the current paintings offered by Papalotl, there is also an interesting history behind their existence. Many years ago when Felipe Davalos was a young and adventurous artist/archaeologist he worked at the Bonampak site studying the murals in great detail. As a result of his efforts and knowledge of the murals, he was invited to replicate the entire Room 1 set of murals at the Natural History Museum in Gainesville, Florida. His paintings were not a portrayal of the current state of the murals, but a powerful replication based on research and personal knowledge that enabled him to paint them as they may have appeared during the time the Maya created them and focused ritual occasions around their mythic qualities.

Then in 1995, Davalos came to Sacramento, California, to execute a project comprised of portable murals drawn from the Gainesville paintings. Carol Gilbert-Wagner became acquainted with him through a mutual acquaintance who was sponsoring the project, and was hired to work in-studio on the murals. The job was of substantial size, so eventually she was joined by a colleague, Rachel Stonecipher, and the two were trained by Davalos in the "system" of the Maya painting technique.

Q What, exactly, did the two artists learn, and how does it apply to the Papalotl collections?

A They learned to prepare surfaces for a simulated fresco technique, as the Maya painted on specially prepared, plastered walls. They learned the sophisticated color palette used at Bonampak, which relates closely to other sites in Mesoamerica. They learned the subtleties of line work used by Maya artists and how every element of the composition became crucial to every other element, completing a wonderfully synthesized work of art. As a result, they are able to apply their skills to many endeavors related to Mesoamerican art, as well as applying the same abilities in other areas of their work.

Q The paintings appear to have a somewhat aged look even though the colors are bright and fresh. Why is that?

A Because they were housed within three rooms of a temple built especially for that purpose in which there were no windows, one low-cut door, and built-in benches and platforms from which to view the murals, they would have quickly been affected by smoke from torches and burning of copal for incense, not to mention the moisture of human breath in such an enclosed place. They have, therefore, been created over a treated surface that implies some coloration from natural sources during their lifetime and finally a very thin glaze or "patina" to soften and blend the colors to simulate the curing of the surfaces over time.

Q Will there be paintings from sites other than Bonampak, and will they be made to appear as though they would have during the Classic Maya period also?

A Our next project will be slightly different. We are designing a series of powerful images from the site of Palenque. These images are derived from art that was originally created as relief sculpture in stone and plaster, so we must translate the images as two-dimensional paintings in order to incorporate them into our Papalotl oeuvre. Nevertheless, they are from tablets and lintels and other architectural surfaces that enabled the artists to compose sophisticated groups combined artfully with glyphs explaining the identity and purpose of their content. These carvings were also painted, with a slightly different emphasis that implies a more symbolic intent than the fairly naturalistic Bonampak murals.

This is rather exciting, as we wish to give the public a view of ancient art not commonly presented. We are accustomed to seeing Greek and Roman art, for example, as white marble figures and the pristine carved columns and sculptures of the Parthenon and its like. That tradition was perpetuated by the great Renaissance masters who created their Davids and Mercurys in gorgeous marble from the quarries of Italy, leaving them in that state of pearlescent purity.

Q Referring to the colors mentioned with regard to Palenque, what are your sources for that information?

A We have turned to numerous wonderful archaeological studies conducted by dedicated scholars, many of whom have a background in art, in order to preserve the information for the future while there is still time and opportunity. It is possible to learn the actual colors from traces remaining in some cases, and (hopefully) intelligent extrapolation offers a good chance of producing something within the spirit of Palenque art.