Lot 43
Pre-Columbian, West Mexico, Nayarit, Ixtlan del Rio type, ca. 300 BCE to 300 CE. A hand-built pottery figure of a warrior seated nude while holding a massive club in both hands. The man has an exposed phallus between his legs and wears a vertically-arranged shield atop his back akin to a cape. A crescent-shaped ornament adorns the septum while each ear bears either 4 or 5 petite ringlets, and the bicorn helmet is accentuated with ample polychrome pigment to form abstract linear and geometric motifs. Size: 6.75" L x 9.125" W x 11.9" H (17.1 cm x 23.2 cm x 30.2 cm)
Ceramic figures like this one are the only remains that we have today of a sophisticated and unique culture in West Mexico. They made no above-ground monuments or sculptures, at least that we know of, which is in strong contrast to developments elsewhere in ancient Mesoamerica. Instead, their tombs were their lasting works of art: skeletons arrayed radially with their feet positioned inward, and clay offerings, like this one, placed alongside the walls facing inward, near the skulls. A large effigy like this one would most likely have flanked the entrance to a tomb in a way that archaeologists have interpreted as guarding. Some scholars have connected these dynamic sculptures of the living as a strong contrast to the skeletal remains whose space they shared, as if they mediated between the living and the dead.
Provenance: ex-private Orlando, Florida, USA collection; ex-Art for Eternity, New York, USA
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.
We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.
#175244
- Condition: Professionally repaired and restored, with resurfacing and overpainting along new material and break lines. Abrasions and nicks commensurate with age, with light fading to pigment, and earthen deposits in scattered areas. Nice remains of pigment throughout. Previous inventory label beneath base.
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 26.5% 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 |