Lot 49
Pre-Columbian, Mexico, Veracruz, Remojadas style, ca. 600 to 900 CE. A finely modeled pottery head from the Remojadas tradition of Veracruz, presenting a powerful visage crowned with an elaborate headdress. The figure displays angular features with slitted eyes, a prominent nose, and parted lips, beneath which a pellet-like element projects from the mouth, perhaps symbolizing speech, breath, or the act of chewing. Framing the face are large, circular earspools, while a dramatic coiffure rises above the brow, composed of radiating plumes or locks. At the center of the headdress perches a bird-like form, an abstract avian crest suggestive of ritual symbolism and spiritual connection. Size: 5.8" W x 5.3" H (14.7 cm x 13.5 cm); 6.9" H (17.5 cm) on included custom stand.
Notably, faint traces of black pigment remain upon the coiffure, attesting to the original polychromy that once enlivened the piece. Such painted accents were typical of Remojadas figures, adding definition and vibrancy to their theatrical presence. This head likely formed part of a larger figure, perhaps used in funerary or ceremonial contexts, as Veracruz pottery is closely associated with ritual performances, ancestor veneration, and expressions of social identity.
Provenance: private Atlanta, Georgia, USA collection, acquired between 2020-2024; ex-Ancient Resource Auction, Montrose, California, USA; ex-private New York, USA collection
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#197863
- Condition: Fragment as shown with losses to top of headdress, head of bird, coiffure, and object in mouth. Surface wear commensurate with age. Good remaining detail and trace remaining black pigment on coiffure.
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