Lot 40
**Originally Listed At $400**
Pre-Columbian, Ecuador, Jamacoaque (Jama Coaque) culture, ca. 500 CE. A brightly painted diminutive mask showing a person with a grotesque face, huge decorations pierced at nose and between the eyes. Wide, staring eyes may have once been filled with something else like shell or may represent a chemically-induced state that the face portrayed is experiencing. This figure is probably a shaman shown in a transformative state; the effect of the face may be of the skin of one creature over another's. Comes with custom stand. Shamanic transformation - brought on in part by the ingestion of coca leaves - was a huge part of the Jama Coaque pottery, a turning away from earlier Ecuadorian pottery traditions (Valdivian, Chorrera) that were focused on representations of the body. In this new phase in ancient Ecuadorian society, status and different occupations for individuals suddenly became important to show artistically - suggesting that this was the period when their culture began to stratify and become culturally complex, with individuals in the society having specialized roles like shaman. This fantastic mask stands on its own as a work of art but also reminds us of exciting developments in a long-lost world. Size: 5" W x 4" H (12.7 cm x 10.2 cm)
Provenance: Ex-Private Maricopa County, AZ collection
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.
PLEASE NOTE: Due to recent increases of shipments being seized by Australian & German customs (even for items with pre-UNESCO provenance),
we will no longer ship most antiquities and ancient Chinese art to Australia & Germany. For categories of items that are acceptable to ship to Australia or Germany, please contact us directly or work with your local customs brokerage firm.
Display stands not described as included/custom in the item description are for photography purposes only and will not be included with the item upon shipping.
#118389
- Condition: Small chip from top of one ear; there is a stable crack on the lower back of the mask that runs to the front of the chin, but does not seem to have been repaired or to be in danger of breaking further.
Accepted Forms of Payment:
American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Shipping
Auction House will ship, at Buyer's expense
Artemis Fine Arts
You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 30.5% and any applicable taxes and shipping.
View full terms and conditions
| 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 | $2,500 |
| $50,000 | $99,999 | $5,000 |
| $100,000 | $199,999 | $10,000 |
| $200,000 + | $20,000 |