Lot 13A
Pre-Columbian, West Mexico, Colima, ca. 300 BCE to 300 CE. A whimsical yet deliberate sense of form shapes this pottery jar, modeled as a rounded bird whose body serves as the vessel chamber. The piece presents a raised head with a parted beak and a small ridged crest, giving the figure an expressive presence. Opposite the head, a short tail rises from the back of the vessel, balancing the bird's silhouette. The jar is built in burnished terracotta with a mottled surface of warm brown, red, and gray tones. Circular spots remain across the body, suggesting patterned plumage. A flared spout set into the bird's back establishes the vessel's function while reinforcing its sculptural identity. Colima potters favored animal effigies, and bird forms appear frequently in their ceramic traditions, perhaps connected to themes of fertility, agriculture, or sky symbolism. Size: 8.7" L x 7.5" W x 6.4" H (22.1 cm x 19 cm x 16.3 cm)
Such jars may have been used to serve liquids or as ritual offerings, with the animal form enhancing the object's meaning. Comparable examples in major collections reflect the Vicus preference for lively modeling and playful surface design. This jar stands as a representative example of the tradition: compact, animated, and attentive to both form and surface. Its rounded proportions and subtle patterning capture an ancient Peruvian interest in nature, expressed through a vessel made for daily use as well as ceremonial purpose.
Provenance: private Colorado, USA collection; ex-private Los Angeles, California, USA collection; ex-major gallery, Beverly Hills, California, USA, primarily acquired between 1985 and 2005
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#199676
- Condition: Professionally repaired with restoration and repainting over break lines. Some light surface wear with nicks and abrasions in areas as well as a few chips to pigments. Otherwise, very nice presentation with liberal remaining pigments and detail.
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