Lot 119
Pre-Columbian, West Mexico, Jalisco, ca. 300 BCE to 300 CE. A powerfully modeled seated male figure from ancient Jalisco, sculpted in buff clay with a rich red slip and burnished finish. Rendered in the region's iconic hollow ceramic tradition, the figure sits with legs apart and knees raised, grasping a small hemispheric bowl in one hand and a bulbous mace-like object in the other, his posture anchored yet alert. The bold proportions, rounded limbs, and expressionist facial treatment are emblematic of the Jalisco style. His broad shoulders are marked by distinctive stippled projections, representing raised scarification - ceremonial body modifications that may signify high rank, ritual identity, or initiation into elite social roles. A prominent, erect phallus is clearly modeled between the legs, a common fertility symbol in West Mexican ceramic art, where exaggerated genitalia often signal virility, power, or a connection to regenerative forces. Size: 7.7" L x 9.8" W x 14.5" H (19.6 cm x 24.9 cm x 36.8 cm)
The head is capped by a tall, slightly conical headdress that rises dramatically above the elongated face. Wide-set eyes are framed by thick lids, while an open mouth reveals carefully delineated teeth, suggesting a vocal moment - perhaps a chant, prayer, or exhalation of trance.
Figures such as this were often interred in shaft tombs alongside other ceramic offerings. Their purpose remains the subject of scholarly debate, with interpretations ranging from ancestral effigies to participants in rituals involving music, dance, and hallucinogenic drink. The presence of the bowl may reference ritual libations or pulque ceremonies, while the mace may evoke shamanic authority or warfare. This figure stands as a vivid embodiment of the intersection between body, performance, and belief in West Mexican mortuary culture - expressive, potent, and brimming with symbolic presence.
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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#195306
- Condition: Small loss to proper right ear and some chips to feet. Professionally repaired with restoration and repainting over some break lines, while others are visible in areas. Light surface wear with a few nicks and abrasions as shown, all commensurate with age. Otherwise, an impressive presentation with good remaining pigments and detail. Mineral deposits throughout.
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