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THBLarge Veracruz Terracotta Standing Female Sonriente
Lot 143
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
Live Auction in Progress ... Currently on Lot Estimate:
$2,500 - $3,500
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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
Feb 21, 2019
Set Reminder
2019-02-21 10:00:00
2019-02-21 10:00:00
America/New_York
Bidsquare
Bidsquare : Exceptional Antiquities, Asian, Ethnographic
https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/exceptional-antiquities-asian-ethnographic-3858
An important one-day auction featuring museum-worthy examples of Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Etruscan, Near Eastern, Far East / Asian, Pre-Columbian, African / Tribal, Oceanic, Native American, Spanish Colonial, Russian, Fossils, Ancient Jewelry, Fine Art, so much more! Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
An important one-day auction featuring museum-worthy examples of Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Etruscan, Near Eastern, Far East / Asian, Pre-Columbian, African / Tribal, Oceanic, Native American, Spanish Colonial, Russian, Fossils, Ancient Jewelry, Fine Art, so much more! Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
View Full Catalog (472)
- Lot Description
Pre-Columbian, Gulf Coast Mexico, Veracruz (Vera Cruz), Remojadas, Late Classic Period, ca. 600 to 800 CE. A fabulous hollow-molded terracotta standing sonriente figure standing atop delineated legs and broad feet. The woman wears a simple loincloth around her waist and a wide wrap around her chest, each molded with fine geometric motifs. She wears a beaded, spool-adorned necklace around her conical neck, and holds a small rectangular tool in one of her outstretched arms. Almond-shaped eyes, a triangular nose, slender ears adorned with ornamentation, and a characteristically smiling mouth constitute her expressive visage, with a large spiral and a raised fin adorning her rounded headdress. Traces of original yellow, red, and orange pigment are visible around the face and body and suggest this figure was at one time painted in vivid colors. Custom museum-quality display stand included. Size: 12.625" W x 16.4" H (32.1 cm x 41.7 cm); 16.8" H (42.7 cm) on included custom stand.
This type of figure - known as a "sonriente" or "smiling face" - are the most famous type of figural pottery from this period in Veracruz (known as Remojadas for its keystone archaeological site). Like this one, they depict wide, smiling, childlike faces, often with teeth showing, though this example does not show such teeth. Smiling faces are very rare in Mesoamerican art, but in Remojadas and the surrounding area, there are thousands of these Sonrientes, leading to a mystery for archaeologists. Some have suggested that the smiles are the result of consuming the alcoholic beverage pulque, or taking hallucinogenic drugs; other see them as representing performers.
For a stylistically-similar example, please see the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, accession number AC 1996.146.38: https://collections.lacma.org/node/179285
Provenance: private New York, New York, USA collection; ex-private Texas, USA 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.
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#143585Repaired from multiple pieces with light resurfacing, overpainting, and earthen stabilization material across break lines; some areas exhibit light restoration. Minor nicks to legs, body, arms, and head, with light abrasions, softening to some finer details, and light encrustations. Nice earthen deposits and traces of original pigmentation throughout.Condition
- Shipping Info
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