Description:

Pre-Columbian, South America, Colombia, Nariño, ca. 800 to 1500 CE. A large, hand built, bullet-style polychrome vessel in the shape of a bird with a bullet-formed bottom, the walls beautifully finished with elaborate negative-resist geometric decoration in hues of red, black, and beige, the panels of zigzag, checkerboard, concentric circle, chevron, and step motifs segmented by long, vertical red and black bands, the 'head' a prominent red hue that channels into the vertical bands. Size: 7.375" W x 19.75" H (18.7 cm x 50.2 cm)

In the Pre-Columbian world, birds were highly symbolic and favorite iconographical subjects in art. As sky animals, they were associated with the celestial sun and moon and were believed to act as messengers between humankind and their deities. The avian form of this vessel combined with its remarkable negative resist decorative program makes this piece extra special.

Provenance: Ex- Smith collection, Atlanta, GA

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#120767

  • Condition: Intact and excellent. Some expected surface wear and nice manganese deposits.

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June 8, 2017 7:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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