Description:

Pre-Columbian, West Mexico, Nayarit, ca. 300 BCE to 300 CE. A charming pottery model of a hut, raised atop three conical legs and surmounted by a stylized canine with a thick tail perched on the domed roof. Within the open doorway sits a diminutive figure, its face still bearing traces of orange and black pigment, suggesting ritual or symbolic meaning. The canine atop the structure may reference protective spirits or household guardians, common themes in Nayarit figural tradition. Accompanying the hut is an ovoid volcanic grinding stone, its porous surface and areas of smoothed texture characteristic of cooled lava. Such stones were often repurposed in antiquity as grinding or rubbing tools due to their abrasive texture. Together, the pair highlights the interplay of domestic life, artistry, and the natural materials that shaped daily existence in West Mexico over two millennia ago. Size of hut: 3" Diameter x 4.5" H (7.6 cm x 11.4 cm)

Provenance: private Colorado, USA collection; ex-Helmuth Stone, Sarasota, Florida, USA, April 14, 2024, part of lot 215; hut: ex-Artemis Gallery; ex-private Reinsmoen collection, Clear Lake, Iowa, USA, acquired through descent from Robert Anderson, acquired prior to 2000

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#196883

  • Condition: Bottom of vertical wall reattached to top of base where figure is seated, with restoration along break lines, and resurfacing and overpainting along new material and break lines. Loss to dog's head as shown. Abrasions, fading to pigment, and light earthen deposits. Nice form. Volcanic rock has abrasions, and natural pitting and fissures as shown.

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October 17, 2025 8:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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