Lot 96
Pre-Columbian, Southern Mexico to Guatemala, Olmec, ca. 900 to 500 BCE. A remarkable standing Olmec were-jaguar figure, finely carved from a beautiful blue-green jade. This statuette is shown nude with skillfully delineated quintessentially were-jaguar facial details - downturned jaguar mouth, slanted eyes, high arching brows, and jowly cheeks - upon a characteristically elongated pear-shaped head, a sign of high status most likely due to an artificial cranial deformation, as the Olmec traditionally wore tight-fitting helmets. In addition, the artisan painstakingly made miniscule perforations through the ears and nose for further ornamentation. To the Olmecs, figurines like this example carried many meanings, not all of which are obvious to us today; however, scholars surmise that the color green was associated with vibrant growth, renewal, and given the cyclical conception of life and death, rejuvenation after death. A breathtaking work of art in near miniature, replete with strong technique, intriguing symbolism, and an inherently beautiful jade stone. Size: 1.1" L x 1.7" W x 4.5" H (2.8 cm x 4.3 cm x 11.4 cm); 5.5" H (14 cm) on included custom stand.
Provenance: private R.D. collection, Long Beach, California, USA collection, acquired via Artemis Gallery, Louisville, Colorado, USA, November 17, 2016; ex-private Lexington, Kentucky, USA collection; ex-Thomas Harold Collection, GE Engineer who collected the figure while working in Mexico in the 1930's
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#189542
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Condition:
- Loss to left ear, hence perforation no longer there. Tiny surface loss to left of chin. Old scuff to tip of right foot and age-expected surface wear as shown. Otherwise, nicely preserved detail with lustrous, polished surfaces. Light earthen deposits in recessed areas.
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