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THBExceptional Guerrero Chontal Type M20 Stone Figure
Lot 174
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:
$10,000 - $15,000
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|---|---|
| $0 | $25 |
| $300 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $100 |
| $2,000 | $250 |
| $5,000 | $500 |
| $10,000 | $1,000 |
| $20,000 | $2,500 |
| $50,000 | $5,000 |
| $100,000 | $10,000 |
| $200,000 | $20,000 |
About Auction
Live
By Artemis Gallery
Mar 9, 2023
Set Reminder
2023-03-09 10:00:00
2023-03-09 10:00:00
America/New_York
Bidsquare
Bidsquare : Exceptional Ancient, Ethnographic, & Fine Art
https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/exceptional-ancient-ethnographic-fine-art-12354
Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
View Full Catalog (413)
- Lot Description
**Originally Listed At $6000**
Pre-Columbian, Southern Mexico, Guerrero region, Chontal culture, ca. 600 to 300 BCE. An exemplary abstract anthropomorphic figure of the rare M20 type that is hand-carved from mottled green-hued andesite. The majestic figure presents standing atop delineated, string-cut legs, holding both bent arms atop the abdomen with hands nearly touching, and with deep grooves above that define the chest and arms. Additional string-cut grooves and drilled eyes comprise the minimalist visage, all framed by tall, tab-shaped ears, while a peaked cap rests low on the forehead. Size: 4.2" W x 13.8" H (10.7 cm x 35.1 cm); 14" H (35.6 cm) on included custom stand.
On the topic regarding the rarity of Type M20 figures, scholars Carlo Gay and Frances Pratt explain: "As there are few standing figures of the M-20 type … the duration of the cultural intercourse between the Mezcala and the Chontal traditions appears to have been relatively short -- certainly not long enough for the development of a wider range of hybrid subjects which, at this stage of both traditions, should also include seated figures. M-20 figures account for less than 5 percent of the total number of human representations." (Gay, Carlo and Frances Pratt. "Mezcala: Ancient Stone Sculpture from Guerrero Mexico." Balsas Publications, Geneva, 1992, p. 85)
The Guerrero region is located in present-day southwestern Mexico, and it was the epicenter of both the Mezcala and Chontal stone carving traditions. Whereas, the Mezcala sculptors emphasized geometric abstraction in both anthropomorphic figures as well as architectural models, the Chontal sculptors imbued their works with a degree of naturalism. We know that this lapidary tradition dated to the Preclassic period, and that later Mesoamerican peoples coveted portable stone figures like this example as heirlooms. Archaeologists have excavated numerous pieces in ritual caches at the Templo Mayor, the main temple of the Aztecs of Tenochititlan, for example. What's more, centuries later, many Mexican Modernists including Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo, and artist/anthropologist Miguel Covarrubias were drawn to their minimalistic qualities. Interestingly, Covarrubias compared them to the monumental and serene style of Cycladic art in ancient Greece.
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.
Provenance: ex-Marc Amiguet Schmitt estate, Amiguet's Ancient Art, Evansville, Indiana, USA, acquired prior to January 1, 2010
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.
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#175006Possible professional repair and restoration to outside of proper left leg, but difficult to discern and nearly invisible if present. Minor abrasions, nicks, and pitting commensurate with age, otherwise in choice condition. Beautiful preservation to detailing for a figure of this size!Condition
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