Lot 71
Pre-Columbian, Northern Mexico, Chihuahua, ca. 1200 CE. A polychrome Casas Grandes (which is also called Paquime) effigy pottery vessel, finely coiled/hand built and modeled with incredibly thin walls (smooth on both the exterior and interior), skillfully painted in red and black on a buff ground as is characteristic of Casas Grandes pottery. This distinctive human figural vessel depicts a seated smoker replete with a plethora of details all the way from his head to his toes. First, we have a wonderful abstract visage that is so expressive with finely modeled and painted details - those alert lashed and wing-tipped eyes, the complex stepped and linear motifs painted upon his cheeks, and that meticulously painted headband (or tumpline) and coiffure, both of which are also delineated with mesmerizing stylized geometric patterns. Our fellow sits and smokes with one arm resting upon his upraised right knee, and the other gently resting upon the knee of the leg that is folded beneath his body. His entire body is adorned with wondrous pictoral imagery, a large bird across his chest and abdomen, and more bewitching geometric motifs painted upon his arms, legs, and back. The artist was also quite intent upon delineating his male genitalia just in case we were curious. If I wasn't 100% certain that this is an example from the ancient Americas, I would swear that the artist was inspired by those well-known lyrics of the musical legend Steve Miller ("I'm a joker, I'm a smoker, I'm a midnight toker.") But seriously folks, this is an exceptional and quite rare example with entertaining iconography, don't you think? Size: 5.5" W x 7.25" H (14 cm x 18.4 cm)
Provenance: EX- Adeon Gallery, Nick Poolos collection, Chicago, IL acquired before 1975
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#113597
- Condition: Head reattached with areas of professional restoration above the neck. Two rim chips on rim on reverse. Fabulous manganese blooms on the interior.
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