Lot 32
Pre-Columbian, West Mexico, Colima, Protoclassic Period, ca. 100 BCE to 250 CE. A bold and abstract redware ceramic figure from ancient Colima, skillfully modeled in the form of a reclining animal rendered with smooth, flowing contours and burnished to a warm, lustrous surface. The figure's body is stylized into powerful volumes and broad planes, its legs folded beneath in a poised yet relaxed position, the upturned head forming the spout of the vessel. The pared-down anatomy and elegantly simplified form reveal the Colima potter's mastery of abstraction, achieving both vitality and serenity in clay. This sculptural type, often interpreted as representing a dog or other domesticated animal, was likely a reclinatorio - a vessel placed in shaft tombs of West Mexico as an offering connected to themes of companionship, rebirth, and the journey to the afterlife. The deep red slip and high polish exemplify Colima's characteristic ceramic tradition, prized for its refinement and expressive minimalism. Size: 8.25" L x 8.8" W x 9.5" H (21 cm x 22.4 cm x 24.1 cm)
Radiating quiet strength and timeless grace, this reclining zoomorph embodies the Colima culture's profound sense of form and its sensitivity to both the physical and spiritual dimensions of the animal world.
PROVENANCE: private Colorado, USA collection; ex-Artemis Gallery; ex-private Lumberton, Texas, USA collection, acquired at auction around 2004
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Item #
197631
- Condition: Repair to upper half of spout along back side, lateral fin along lower right side, and both legs, with restoration along reattachment areas, and resurfacing with overpainting along new material and break lines. Abrasions to reclinatorio surface, spout, fins, and both legs, with fire-darkening and light fading to pigment in scattered areas, and encrustations within spout commensurate with age. Great surface smoothness throughout, and nice preservation to most original pigment. Good manganese deposits along verso.
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