Lot 152B
Sizeable Nayarit Seated Figure Nude Seated Female
Sizeable Nayarit Seated Figure Nude Seated Female
Starting Bid: $1,500
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**Originally Listed At $3000**
Pre-Columbian, West Mexico, Nayarit, Protoclassic Period, ca. 100 BCE to 250 CE. A marvelous pottery female figure of sizable form covered in vermilion-hued slip and accented with areas of white pigment. Her forward-leaning posture is emphasized by both slender arms wrapping around her abdomen beneath perky breasts, and her beleaguered facial expression suggests she is going through an arduous process, perhaps child-birthing. Additional vertical stripes adorn the front of her chest while white spots dot her cheeks below an incised and spiraled coiffure. Size: 9" L x 9.25" W x 18.75" H (22.9 cm x 23.5 cm x 47.6 cm)
Clay figures like this one are the only remains that we have today of a sophisticated and unique culture in West Mexico. They made no above-ground monuments or sculptures, at least that we know of, which is in strong contrast to developments elsewhere in ancient Mesoamerica. Instead, their tombs were their lasting works of art: skeletons arrayed radially with their feet positioned inward, and clay offerings, like these, placed alongside the walls facing inward, near the skulls. A large effigy figure would most likely have flanked the entrance to a tomb in a way that archaeologists have interpreted as guarding. Some scholars have connected these dynamic sculptures of the living as a strong contrast to the skeletal remains whose space they shared, as if they mediated between the living and the dead.
Provenance: private Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA collection; ex-private Estate collection, Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA, acquired 1960 to 2024
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#185633
- Condition: Professional repair and restoration in several areas, with resurfacing and overpainting along new material and break lines. Abrasions and fading to pigment, with minor softening to some finer details, and scattered earthen deposits, otherwise in nice condition. Great size and presentation!
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| From: | To: | Increments: |
|---|---|---|
| $0 | $299 | $25 |
| $300 | $999 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $1,999 | $100 |
| $2,000 | $4,999 | $250 |
| $5,000 | $9,999 | $500 |
| $10,000 | $19,999 | $1,000 |
| $20,000 | $49,999 | $2,500 |
| $50,000 | $99,999 | $5,000 |
| $100,000 | $199,999 | $10,000 |
| $200,000 + | $20,000 |