Lot 120
Pre-Columbian, Maya, Ulua Valley, Honduras, ca. 7th to 9th century CE. A lively fusion of function and symbolism, this hand-built polychrome bowl from the Ulua Valley of Honduras takes the form of a stylized frog - an animal deeply associated with water, fertility, and transformation in Maya cosmology. Circular in form with a broad, gently flared rim and low-set sides, the vessel is adorned with painted geometric motifs and punctuated by four modeled protrusions around its exterior, each representing the bulbous eyes and limbs of a crouching amphibian. Painted in a rich palette of red, orange, and black over a cream ground, the bowl features a high band of stepped patterns and checkerboard motifs around the shoulder - designs that may reference maize fields, celestial architecture, or water's shimmering movement. Size: 5.7" L x 5.3" W x 1.8" H (14.5 cm x 13.5 cm x 4.6 cm)
The frog forms, worked in low relief and spotted with black, create a subtle trompe-l'oeil effect: as the bowl rests, the creature seems poised in stillness, its body flattened in repose, awaiting the seasonal rains.
Ceramics from the Ulua Valley are known for their vibrancy, technical refinement, and symbolic nuance. Frog effigies were especially potent in the Maya worldview, where amphibians were liminal creatures linked to both terrestrial and aquatic realms. Such bowls may have served ritual functions - perhaps offerings, feasting vessels, or containers for sacred substances - and were often interred as grave goods to accompany the dead into the watery world beyond.
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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#194867
- Condition: Professionally repaired with restoration and repainting over break lines; all done expertly and very difficult to notice. Light surface wear as shown, but otherwise excellent presentation with nice remaining pigments and good earthen deposits to surface.
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| $5,000 | $9,999 | $500 |
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