Description:

Pre-Columbian, West Mexico, Jalisco, El Arenal style, ca. 300 BCE to 300 CE. A bold and evocative pottery figure of a standing male warrior from the El Arenal tradition of ancient Jalisco, rendered with a commanding presence and exaggerated masculine features. The figure stands erect with arms held straight at his sides and a broad, upright torso that emphasizes stability and presence. Most striking is the explicit depiction of the genitals - an ithyphallic representation that affirms his virility and symbolic potency, a theme often associated with fertility, strength, and warrior prowess in Mesoamerican visual culture. His rounded limbs, ample form, and softly modeled facial features are hallmarks of the El Arenal sculptural tradition. Delicate red and cream slip lines highlight his headband, arm bands, and a diagonally slung sash that may represent a warrior's strap or regalia. Size: 4.9" L x 11" W x 17" H (12.4 cm x 27.9 cm x 43.2 cm)

His expression is alert, his lips parted in what may be interpreted as a call, command, or chant, suggesting active participation in ritual or combat. Figures like this were not mere portraits but symbolic embodiments of idealized masculinity, fertility, and divine favor. Often found in shaft tombs, they were likely placed as guardians of the deceased, representations of ancestral warriors, or even spiritual intercessors between the worlds of the living and dead. This powerful figure speaks to the complex intersection of sex, power, and ritual in ancient West Mexican funerary belief - a poignant and commanding image of a warrior eternally poised between worlds.

Provenance: Collection of Y. Kayvan, Los Angeles, California, USA, acquired from a Los Angeles, California, USA gallery acquisition dates range from the late 1990s to 2005

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#194424

  • Condition: Professionally repaired with restoration and repainting over break lines; all don’t expertly and very difficult to detect. Chip to nose and surface wear as shown, commensurate with age. Otherwise, excellent presentation with good remaining pigments and rich earthen and mineral deposits throughout.

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May 30, 2025 8:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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$300 $999 $50
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$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
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