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THB18th C. Mexican Painted Wood Chest w/ Quetzal Birds
Lot 204a
About Seller
Artemis Gallery
686 S Taylor Ave, Ste 106
Louisville, CO 80027
United States
Selling antiquities, ancient and ethnographic art online since 1993, Artemis Gallery specializes in Classical Antiquities (Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Near Eastern), Asian, Pre-Columbian, African / Tribal / Oceanographic art. Our extensive inventory includes pottery, stone, metal, wood, glass and textil...Read more
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Live Auction in Progress ... Currently on Lot Estimate:
$1,000 - $1,500
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About Auction
Live
By Artemis Gallery
Sep 9, 2021
Set Reminder
2021-09-09 10:00:00
2021-09-09 10:00:00
America/New_York
Bidsquare
Bidsquare : Art & Artifacts of North America
https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/art-artifacts-of-north-america-7436
Join us for a special auction not to be missed! Collectible Native American art from antiquity to mid-20th century, Spanish Colonial, Latin American, fine & folk art, American frontier items, and much more! Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
Join us for a special auction not to be missed! Collectible Native American art from antiquity to mid-20th century, Spanish Colonial, Latin American, fine & folk art, American frontier items, and much more! Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
View Full Catalog (252)
- Lot Description
Latin America, Mexico, ca. 18th to early 19th century CE. A gorgeous hand-built wooden chest with a hipped hinged lid, its ample body embellished with a beautiful hand-painted theme featuring a pair of resplendent quetzal birds on the front panel with lime green bodies, red breasts, and sprays of yellow feathers to represent the iridescence of their plumage. Between the two quetzal birds is a heart-shaped entity, perhaps a stylized fruit or flower carved with a cross-hatch pattern that is further delineated in buttercup yellow paint and adorned by blue and yellow dots as well as a royal blue heart emerging from the top. In addition, arched garlands of alternating royal blue and buttercup yellow heart-shaped leaves frame the scene. Finally, the red ground of the chest is embellished with lively yellow curvilinear motifs throughout. A beautiful example of Mexican folk art! Size: 16.75" L x 26.5" W x 16.5" H (42.5 cm x 67.3 cm x 41.9 cm)
Pre-Columbian Mesoamerican civilizations have traditionally associated the resplendent quetzal bird with the sacred deity Quetzalcoatl. The ancient Aztecs and Maya believed that its iridescent green tail feathers symbolized spring plant growth and viewed the quetzal as the "god of the air" as well as a venerated symbol of goodness and light. Mesoamerican rulers wore headdresses comprised of quetzal feathers, which symbolically linked them to Quetzalcoatl. Since killing a quetzal was forbidden and considered a crime, instead, the bird was captured to pluck its tailfeathers, and then it was set free. Interestingly, the term for quetzal also means sacred or precious in several Mesoamerican languages.
Provenance: private S. D. collection, Louisville, Colorado, USA; ex-House of Ancestors, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
PLEASE NOTE: Due to recent increases of shipments being seized by Australian & German customs (even for items with pre-UNESCO provenance), we will no longer ship most antiquities and ancient Chinese art to Australia & Germany. For categories of items that are acceptable to ship to Australia or Germany, please contact us directly or work with your local customs brokerage firm.
Display stands not described as included/custom in the item description are for photography purposes only and will not be included with the item upon shipping.
#167224Expected age wear with nicks, abrasions, areas of pigment fading/loss, craquelure, and stains/marks. Age cracks to the wood and some separation between panels as shown. Missing key and the lock mechanism no longer functions. Otherwise, very nice with impressive remaining pigments, original nails, iron hinges, and components.Condition
- Shipping Info
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All shipping is handled in-house for your convenience. Your invoice from Artemis Gallery will include shipping calculation instructions. If in doubt, please inquire BEFORE bidding for estimated shipping costs for individual items.
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