Lot 113
Pre-Columbian, Northern Peru, Chavin culture, ca. 1000 to 500 BCE. This is a rare and massive example of a hand-carved and stylized anthropomorphic figure holding a flute. The statue is made from a single piece of stone presenting beautiful beige and white hues. The man stands upon an integral base with legs bowed inward but toes pointed outward. The limbs are carved in relief, with the arms across the chest, and individual fingers are incised over the flute which is clutched beneath the rounded chin. The minimalist visage is very angular; exhibiting slit-form eyes and lips, a wide nose, and an incised forehead with a short coiffure or headdress. The top of the head is flat and the verso of the statue is slightly convex but free of carvings. A wonderful depiction! Size: 9.25" L x 4.5" W x 22" H (23.5 cm x 11.4 cm x 55.9 cm); 23" H (58.4 cm) on included custom stand.
The Chavin people lived in the northern Highland Andes, and their capital, Chavin de Huantar, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The artwork of Chavin represents the first widespread artistic style in the Andes. The center of Chavin de Huantar is a massive, flat-topped pyramid, surrounded by lower platforms. Between 1200 and 500 BCE the pyramid space was used for religious ceremonies. The Old Temple, constructed very early in the history of the site, consists of a series of passageways built around a circular courtyard; within were carved stone monuments showing jaguars, serpents, and other figures with transformative and/or anthropomorphic figures. A flute player may have been displayed at such a temple, for wind music held symbolic and cultural importance in Chavin society. Given the narrow shape of the eyes, this figure may have represented a shamanic individual who had entered a trance-like state. Such an altered consciousness could have been brought about by simply playing the music along with a plethora of hallucinogenic materials or in order to perform certain ceremonial songs which an unaltered state of mind could not begin to manifest.
This item is heavy/oversized and will require 3rd party shipping. Please inquire about shipping cost prior to bidding.
Provenance: ex-private Hawaii, USA collection; ex-private Hans Juergen Westermann collection, Germany, collected from 1950 to 1960s
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#177957
- Condition: Surface abrasions and some softening of details. Chips and losses to peripheries. Light mineral deposits. Rare form!
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| From: | To: | Increments: |
|---|---|---|
| $0 | $299 | $25 |
| $300 | $999 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $1,999 | $100 |
| $2,000 | $4,999 | $250 |
| $5,000 | $9,999 | $500 |
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| $100,000 | $199,999 | $10,000 |
| $200,000 + | $20,000 |