Lot 54
Pre-Columbian, West Mexico, Colima, ca. 300 BCE to 300 CE. A large burnished redware pottery figure depicting a seated shaman, modeled with the powerful naturalism and spiritual presence characteristic of the Colima sculptural tradition. The figure sits with legs spread wide, arms bent forward in dynamic gesture - his right arm raised to support a small offering bowl and his left arm curved toward his chest. His broad face features a sharply angled nose, parted lips, and deeply set eyes that convey an intense, otherworldly focus. A tall, flaring headdress with a central crest rises from his head, while a spout at the back indicates the figure also functioned as a hollow effigy vessel. Figures of this type represent shamans or ritual specialists, individuals believed capable of crossing between the human and spirit worlds. The raised bowl may symbolize an offering or a receptacle for hallucinogenic substances used in ecstatic rites. Size: 7" L x 8.8" W x 14.5" H (17.8 cm x 22.4 cm x 36.8 cm)
Colima artisans created such works as tomb offerings to accompany the deceased into the afterlife, ensuring their continued communication with ancestral and divine realms. The burnished surface, expressive modeling, and poised authority of this figure encapsulate the shaman's role as mediator between the physical and supernatural - a guardian of balance and transformation.
Provenance: private Dallas, Texas, USA collection, acquired in August 2022; ex-Auctions 4 America Inc., Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA
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#198851
- Condition: Professionally repaired with restoration and repainting over break lines. Nicks, chips, and abrasions, as shown, all commensurate with age. Otherwise, nice presentation with scattered earthen deposits.
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