Description:

Valley of Mexico, ca. 1250-800 BCE. The name Tlatilco comes from the Nahuatl language and means "the place of occult or hidden things." This funerary gift depicts a female figure who has undergone a caesarean procedure paired with a miniature version of herself, fascinating as duality is an omnipresent Meso-American theme. Throughout Meso-America, life and death are indivisible and form a continuum. Ritual ceramics of the Tlatilco culture oftentimes exhibit unmistakable Olmec influence resulting from cross-cultural trade relations. These figurines, while not obviously Olmecoid in physiognomy, depict a condition portrayed by the Olmec who were unabashed about depicting the graphic details of a wide range of experiences from women in labor to pathological conditions. Perhaps related to a fertility ritual, the figures' limbs are truncated so as to focus our attention on the locii of fertility - ie the pronounced womb and breasts. The figure also possesses a horn-like feature emerging from her forehead, perhaps referencing shamanistic qualities. Moreover, the necklace and ankle bands ornamenting the figure are attributes of an elite member of society. While not the most attractive piece, clearly it was created to serve a ritualistic and/or didactic funciton. A huge 12 1/2"L x 7 1/4"W x 3"D. Provenance: Ex-Adeon Gallery, Chicago, IL, acquired prior to 1970. All items in this auction have been legally acquired, are legal to sell, and guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids, papered by our parent company, Artemis Gallery Ancient Art. The starting price is the lowest price at which the lot can sell.

  • Condition: Some surface loss as shown,

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October 11, 2013 9:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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Bid Increments
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 $2,000
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $25,000