Lot 161
Pre-Columbian, West Mexico, Nayarit, ca. 300 BCE to 300 CE. A hand-built pottery warrior figure shown seated with bent legs upon a pair of integral conical protrusions emanating from his posterior. Highly burnished and presented in hues of vermilion, burnt ochre, jet, and ash gray, the figure leans slightly forward while brandishing a formidable knob-ended club in both hands. His puffy visage bears impressed eyes, a bulbous nose with a septum ornament, thin lips above a petite chin, and ears adorned with a series of ringlets, all beneath a bell-shaped bicorn helmet with incised striations. Size: 4.6" W x 10.4" H (11.7 cm x 26.4 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 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. Some scholars have noted that these dynamic sculptures mediated between the living and the deceased.
Provenance: ex-Kelley collection, Denver, Colorado, USA, acquired before 2000
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.
#168498
- Condition: Repair and restoration to proper left leg, with resurfacing and overpainting along new material and break lines. Abrasions and minor nicks to limbs, club, body, and head, with softening to some finer details, and fading to original pigment. Great preservation to overall warrior form. Two old inventory labels on verso.
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 |