Description:

Pre-Columbian, West Mexico, Colima, ca. 300 BCE to 300 CE. A delightful redware parrot vessel presenting a pleasantly plump body and a flared spout leading to the hollow interior.. Birds with vibrant plummage were highly revered by the ancients of the Americas and parrots such as macaws which could also immitate human speech! The artisan balanced the bulbous body in a pair of feet with fine attention to the bird's anatomy: zygodactyl toes that allowed these birds to deftly climb and grasp and the massive hooked beak. In West Mexican traditions the parrots symbolized the sun, a metaphor for rebirth and renewal. Size: 10" L x 6" W x 9.75" H (25.4 cm x 15.2 cm x 24.8 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. Parrots were and continue to be revered by the ancients of the Americas. Their brilliant plumage and ability to fly high above the tree line made them ideal incarnations of the sky deities, thought to be endowed with supernatural powers of celestial origin.

Provenance: ex-Barakat Gallery, Beverly Hills, California, USA, acquired prior to 2000

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#175220

  • Condition: Intact and choice. Nice manganese blooms throughout and light mineral deposits inside the vessel.

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November 10, 2022 8:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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