Menu
EUR
CAD
AUD
GBP
MXN
HKD
CNY
MYR
SEK
SGD
CHF
THBHuge / Published Maya Polychrome Plate, ex-Sotheby's
Lot 248
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
Categories
Live Auction in Progress ... Currently on Lot Estimate:
$9,000 - $13,500
Absentee vs Live bid
Two ways to bid:
- Leave a max absentee bid and the platform will bid on your behalf up to your maximum bid during the live auction.
- Bid live during the auction and your bids will be submitted real-time to the auctioneer.
Bid Increments
| Price | Bid Increment |
|---|---|
| $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
May 11, 2023
Set Reminder
2023-05-11 10:00:00
2023-05-11 10:00:00
America/New_York
Bidsquare
Bidsquare : Fine Antiquities, Asian, Pre-Columbian, Ethnographic Art
https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/fine-antiquities-asian-pre-columbian-ethnographic-art-12771
Classical antiquities, ancient and ethnographic art from cultures encompassing the globe. Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
Classical antiquities, ancient and ethnographic art from cultures encompassing the globe. Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
View Full Catalog (349)
- Lot Description
**Originally Listed At $5000**
Pre-Columbian, Highlands (Chiapas, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador), Maya, Late Classic Period, ca. 550 to 950 CE. A superb pottery plate of sizable form, skillfully hand-painted with a standing dignitary wearing a massive feather backrack and pierced with a ceremonial kill hole. Enveloped by the magnificent plumage of his wings, the figure faces right wearing an elaborate, towering topknot and headdress, as well as a loin cloth with long sashes, and basketry sandals. A glyph is shown to the left of his feet, perhaps identifying him. His visage e is classically Mayan, with a prominent nose and long, sloping forehead, representing beauty ideals that real Mayan lords may have cosmetically altered themselves to achieve. Though it is unknown whether this represents a specific dignitary or deity, the figure bears a remarkable resemblance to the winged Maya warriors at the archeological site of Ek'Balam. Size: 17.8" Diameter x 4.2" H (45.2 cm x 10.7 cm)
Elaborate plates like this one were designed to be instantly distinguishable from those used for everyday eating or drinking - not just in decoration, but also in quantity produced, making these a much rarer find than a piece of domestic pottery. Instead, a bowl like this one would be ritually "sacrificed" by having a hole put through its center, as seen in this example. It would then be placed into a tomb as an offering.
Painted Mayan pottery like this was used for feasting, ritual purposes, and as prestigious gifts given to emphasize the power of the giver and bind the recipient to them through a form of purchased loyalty. Maya kings and queens might give them to local governors. The artists who created them were also often minor royalty or nobility, especially the ones who could paint glyphs - literacy seems to have been reserved for the Mayan elite. The image of the lord ready for the ballgame may reference the processions that were held by the sponsors of the game prior to its brutal play, when feathers were probably not worn.
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-Arte Primitivo, New York, New York, USA, December 12, 2022, lot 175; ex-John A. Stokes collection, New York, USA; ex-Sotheby's New York, sale 7057, November 24, 1997, lot 154; ex-private European collection
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.
#176728Some restoration and repainting along fissures, as well as expected nicks and abrasions commensurate with age. Otherwise, excellent with nice remaining pigments.Condition
- Shipping Info
-
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. In most cases Artemis Gallery cannot ship to Australia and Germany, please inquire before bidding.
-
- Buyer's Premium
