Lot 32
Pre-Columbian, West Mexico, Nayarit, ca. 200 BCE to 300 CE. Rarely found together, all three of these fine examples were made by the same hand! A compelling and intact trio of Nayarit ceramic figures, this group brings together narrative complexity and symbolic presence in the sculptural language of West Mexico's shaft tomb tradition. The largest piece presents a striking bed scene: a bound individual lies atop a low platform, enclosed beneath a curved arch that rises overhead like a protective or ceremonial canopy. At the bedside sits a smaller attendant figure, positioned close to the restrained form, suggesting care, supervision, or ritual participation. The composition, enhanced with red slip striping, evokes themes of burial, sacrifice, or transition, rendered with the characteristic stillness and abstraction of Nayarit figural art. Size of largest (bed figure: 4.5" L x 2.8" W x 2.5" H (11.4 cm x 7.1 cm x 6.4 cm)
Accompanying this scene are two seated tripod figures. One cradles two dogs, animals long associated in Mesoamerican belief with guidance in the afterlife, their presence here perhaps signaling companionship or spiritual protection. The other figure adopts a more assertive posture, holding a club or mace alongside a secondary object, possibly a stone or ritual implement, identifying the figure as a warrior or guardian. All three figures share the regional stylistic hallmarks: rounded limbs, simplified facial features, and painted decoration in earthy red tones. Together, the group forms a vivid tableau of life, death, and the unseen journey beyond, offering a layered glimpse into the ritual and symbolic world of ancient Nayarit society.
Provenance: private New York, USA collection; ex-Lands Beyond Time, New York, New York, USA
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#201589
- Condition: All three have expected age wear with some abrasions in areas. Otherwise, all are intact and very nice with good remains of pigment and nice manganese deposits throughout.
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