Description:

A pair of ancient lovers

Pre-Columbian, West Mexico, Jalisco, ca. 300 BCE to 300 CE. A conjoined couple, the female embracing the male from behind, both nude except for their elaborate headdresses and large earspools, both presenting characteristically elongated heads with focused expressions comprised of coffee bean eyes, protruding noses, and subtle smiles. Wood block stand. Size: 5.25" L x 4.5" W x 6.375" H (13.3 cm x 11.4 cm x 16.2 cm); 7.125" H (18.1 cm) on stand

It is somewhat more common to see mourning couples facing each other while sitting together on a bench. The rather lascivious nature of this union is just as human, but less often seen in surviving examples of West Mexican shaft tomb sculpture. For other examples of joined couples, most again of the mourning type, see "Sculpture of Ancient West Mexico" Los Angeles County Museum of Art in association with University of New Mexico Press, 1989).

Provenance: private Los Angeles County, California, USA collection acquired in the 1980s

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#119031

  • Condition: Expected surface wear with pigment losses and abrasions commensurate with age.

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May 25, 2017 8:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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