Lot 10A
Pre-Columbian, Southern Mexico, Guerrero region, Mezcala culture, ca. 500 to 200 BCE. A remarkable and rare stone figure from the ancient Mezcala culture, this finely carved female form stands in a poised, symmetrical stance, her legs slightly parted and arms extending gently to either side. Her femininity is indicated by rounded breasts and, in an unusual and notable detail, a subtly rendered vulva - features that confirm her as one of the rare female representations within Mezcala corpus. Such figures comprise only 4 to 5 percent of known anthropomorphic carvings from this tradition, making this example especially significant. Size: 7.5" L x 2.3" W (19 cm x 5.8 cm)
She is crowned with the characteristically oversized head of Mezcala figuration, marked by a narrowed brow, deep-set, bulging eyes, a flattened nose, and a straight, slightly parted mouth - features that lend a sense of introspective stillness. The delineation of the vulva in addition to breasts may indicate stylistic overlap with the Olmec or Chontal traditions, or suggest transitional influence from Teotihuacan sculptural language. Mezcala artisans masterfully blended abstraction and naturalism, reducing the human form to its essence while preserving a powerful sense of presence.
Carved from an axe-like stone, with boldly incised grooves and geometric contours, this figure captures the quiet gravity of a timeless archetype. Its minimalist elegance and raw expression deeply resonated with 20th-century modernists such as Henry Moore, who saw in these forms a universal language - ancient, enduring, and profoundly human.
Cf. Carlo Gay and Frances Pratt. "Mezcala: Ancient Stone Sculpture From Guerrero Mexico." Geneva: Balsas Publications, 1992. Pages 101 - 105; plate 84 - 88.
Provenance: Collection of Y. Kayvan, Los Angeles, California, USA, acquired from a Los Angeles, California, USA gallery, acquired from the late 1990s to 2005
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#193963
- Condition: Expected weathering with nicks and abrasions commensurate with age as shown. Otherwise, intact and very nice with rich earthen deposits throughout.
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