Description:

Pre-Columbian, West Mexico, Nayarit, ca. 250 BCE - 400 CE. This is a large, hollow, red and cream slipped ceramic figure with vents in the top of the head put there as part of the venting process. Both figures wear headdresses, earrings, nose rings, and armbands; the woman is wearing a white skirt. There is some evidence, particularly around the necks, of tattoo designs on their skin. The piece is fantastically detailed; look at the earrings on both figures to see an example of how fine the work is. The Nayarit, Jalisco, and Colima people created these figures not for visual enjoyment by the living, but for the ritual purpose of being buried with the dead in shaft tombs. These pieces should not be seen just as art, but considered as sacred objects associated with a crucial life transition for the people of pre-Columbian West Mexico. These figures and others like them were placed around the walls of tombs, facing the remains of the dead, as if in conversation. The faces of these figures are identical, which some scholars have suggested represents the whole community rather than individuals; however, the ideological meaning of these figures continues to inspire debate. Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera collected figures just like these. Size: 9" wide, 7" tall, and 4 1/4" deep. Provenance: Olan All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. #110204

  • Condition: This piece is intact with no signs of repairs. Original paint details are still evident, especially on the faces/heads.

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October 22, 2015 8:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $299 $25
$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,000
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $25,000