Description:

Pre-Columbian, Valley of Mexico, Aztec, ca. 1200 to 1523 CE. A finely-preserved paint pot, hand-carved from mottled grey basalt with black and beige inclusions, with a wide body atop a trio of concave feet, a corseted shoulder, and a thick rim surrounding the deep basin. An intriguing stylized skull protrudes from the front of the body and features concave eye sockets, a triangular nasal bone, drooping cheek bones, and an integral top row of tab-shaped teeth; the lower jaw is missing. In Aztec mythology, skulls often symbolized Mictlantecuhtli, the god of the dead and the king of the lowest section of the underworld, Mictlan (his name means "Lord of Mictlan"). Size: 4.875" L x 2.75" W x 2.2" H (12.4 cm x 7 cm x 5.6 cm).

Provenance: private America's Heritage, LLC collection, San Antonio, Texas, USA; ex-Artemis Gallery; ex-private Young collection, Massachusetts, USA

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#148021

  • Condition: Original lower jaw missing, with old adhesive residue along mandibular fossae. Small chips to rim, body, legs, and skull. Light earthen deposits throughout.

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July 25, 2019 7:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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Bid Increments
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