Huge Jalisco Ameca Seated Anthropomorphic Figure

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VARIETY AUCTION - Antiquities / Ethnographic

By Artemis Gallery

Jan 7, 2020

Set Reminder 2020-01-07 10:00:00 2020-01-07 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : VARIETY AUCTION - Antiquities / Ethnographic https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/variety-auction---antiquities-ethnographic-4787
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• Lot Description
  **Originally Listed At $1500**
  
  Pre-Columbian, West Mexico, Jalisco, Ameca Grey style, ca. 300 BCE to 300 CE. An incredible seated anthropomorphic figure, hollow-built from pottery, with a highly-burnished surface covered in characteristic Ameca-style grey slip. The figure rests on thick thighs and nubbin feet with an erect posture defined by the planar chest and back. Each muscular shoulder is covered in dozens of small pellet-form appliques indicative of scarification marks, and the stocky arms curve downward with hands fused with the thighs. The haunting visage is composed of heavy-lidded almond eyes, a prominent and slightly-crooked nose, a toothy mouth, cupped ears, and a pointed chin, and a simple headdress with red and cream-hued cords caps the elongated head. A tremendous example of ancient shaft-tomb artistry! Size: 13.625" W x 18.7" H (34.6 cm x 47.5 cm).
  
  West Mexican shaft tomb figures like this example derive their names from the central architectural feature that we know of from this culture. Jalisco, located on Mexico's southwestern coast, was part of the shaft tomb culture during this time, along with neighbors in nearby Colima and Nayarit. These people would build generally rectangular vertical or near-vertical shafts down from the ground level - usually about 3 to 20 meters deep - through tepetate, the volcanic tuff that makes up the geology of the region, to narrow horizontal tunnels that led to one or more vaulted or rounded burial chambers.
  
  These shafts were almost always dug beneath a dwelling, probably a family home, and seem to have been used as family mausoleums, housing the remains of many related individuals. Figures like this one were placed into the tombs; researchers believe that they were placed around the edges facing inward, as if in conversation with the dead. Grouped with other figures, and alongside clay bowls, and boxes, figures like this one were positioned around the body (or bodies), near the skull.
  
  Unfortunately, we lack the necessary information to fully understand what these figures were made for - Did they represent everyday people, even individuals? Were they religious? Were they created to mediate between the living and the dead? Whatever their purpose, today they are beautiful artwork and reminders of the mysterious past.
  
  For a stylistically-similar example from the waist up, please see The British Museum, museum number Am,Hn. 121: https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=664490&partId=1
  
  Another stylistically-similar and slightly-smaller example hammered for $6,000 at Sotheby's, New York "African, Oceanic and Pre-Columbian Art" auction (May 14, 2004, lot 148): http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2004/african-oceanic-and-pre-columbian-art-n07996/lot.148.html
  
  Provenance: ex-private Webster collection, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA, before 1995
  
  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.
  
  We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.
  
  #142911

  Condition

  Repaired from multiple large pieces with small chips, overpainting, and light adhesive residue along break lines. Light resurfacing to areas of one hand and back of head. Minor nicks and abrasions to legs, body, arms, and head, with fading to original pigmentation in some areas, and light encrustations in some recessed areas. Nice earthen deposits and manganese deposits throughout.
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