Lot 37
Pre-Columbian, Zapotec, ca. 300 BCE to 900 CE; Bahia, Ecuador, ca. 500 BCE to 500 CE; Moche, Peru, ca. 100 to 700 CE; Maya, ca. 250 to 900 CE; Michoacan, West Mexico, ca. 300 BCE to 500 CE; Chupicuaro, Central Mexico, ca. 500 BCE to 200 CE; Aztec, Central Mexico, ca. 1300 to 1500 CE. A captivating group of nine pottery fragments and figures representing the artistic diversity of ancient Mesoamerica. The assemblage spans multiple cultures and centuries, uniting a rich spectrum of regional styles and devotional iconography. Included is a Zapotec head distinguished by its dotted headdress, recalling the ceremonial regalia of Monte Alban elites; a standing Bahia figure from coastal Ecuador, its compact form and incised details characteristic of the region's sculptural tradition; and a Moche standing figure from Peru's north coast, rendered with that culture's unmistakable realism and expressive individuality. Size of largest (Zapotec head): 3.5" L x 4" W x 4.5" H (8.9 cm x 10.2 cm x 11.4 cm)
A Maya ocarina in the form of a human head captures both the musical and spiritual resonance of Classic-period ritual practice, while a Michoacan head mounted on a custom stand displays the distinct modeling and grave dignity typical of Western Mexico's shaft tomb tradition.
Two Chupicuaro heads, among the earliest examples of ceramic figuration in the region, display the schematic charm of early Mesoamerican abstraction, their simplified forms embodying both fertility and ancestry. Completing the group are two pieces from central Mexico: an Aztec whistle in the form of a bird, once used to summon spirits or accompany ritual dance, and an abstract zoomorphic head with an elongated snout, evoking mythic beasts that bridged the worlds of the living and divine. Together, these works trace the evolution of ceramic art from the early formative centuries through the height of Mesoamerican civilization. Each fragment, though small, bears the echoes of ritual, identity, and artistic experimentation that animated ancient life across the Americas.
Provenance: private Colorado, USA collection; on stand: acquired from Auctions at Showplace, New York, New York, USA, April 7, 2024; ex-private New York City, New York, USA collection; head-shaped ocarina: ex-Palmyra Heritage Gallery, New York, New York, USA; Moche figure: ex-Bruneau & Co. Auctioneers, Cranston, Rhode Island, USA; 2 heads, bird whistle, and pointed nose guy: ex-Selkirk Auctioneers & Appraisers, St. Louis Missouri, USA; ex-private Fayette, Missouri, USA estate
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#197208
- Condition: All are fragments save for figures which are intact. All have nicks, chips, and abrasions. Liberal remaining detail and light earthen deposits throughout. Head-shaped ocarina still functions as an instrument.
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