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THBOlmec Terracotta Seated Baby, ex-Merrin Gallery
Lot 131
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:
$15,000 - $25,000
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| $300 | $50 |
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| $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
Nov 16, 2023
Set Reminder
2023-11-16 10:00:00
2023-11-16 10:00:00
America/New_York
Bidsquare
Bidsquare : Exceptional Antiquities, Ethnographic, Fine Art
https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/exceptional-antiquities-ethnographic-fine-art-14161
Museum-worthy examples of classical antiquities (Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Near Eastern), Viking, Far East / Asian, Pre-Columbian, African / Tribal, Oceanic, Native American, Spanish Colonial, Nautical, Fossils, Ancient Jewelry, Fine / Visual Arts, so much more! Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
Museum-worthy examples of classical antiquities (Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Near Eastern), Viking, Far East / Asian, Pre-Columbian, African / Tribal, Oceanic, Native American, Spanish Colonial, Nautical, Fossils, Ancient Jewelry, Fine / Visual Arts, so much more! Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
View Full Catalog (267)
- Lot Description
Pre-Columbian, Mexico to Guatemala, Olmec culture, ca. 10th to 6th century BCE. A dramatic terracotta figure of a seated human baby, posed with legs akimbo and both hands resting on chubby thighs. The child has no visible sex, and has a round belly and wide belly button. The arms and legs are wide, terminating in small feet and hands that emphasize the shape of the body. The head and face are fantastic - with narrow eyes that appear to stare upward at the viewer, a small, wide nose, and a large open mouth with well-delineated lips. The ears are lifelike, with piercings through their lobes that suggests it once wore earrings. The forehead is elongated and flattened above the brow, and the baby also wears either a helmet or has helmet-like hair with a small crest. Remains of white and red slip pigment are seen over much of the child's body and face. There is a deliberate opening at the belly button. Size: 8.25" W x 11.2" H (21 cm x 28.4 cm)
The Olmec are famous for their human depictions; as the first major civilization in this fertile area, their artwork inspired the civilizations that came after them to the point that we think some of them even revered Olmec artwork and kept it as heirlooms. Figures of this style are known as "baby face", with plump bodies and chubby, pouty facial features. Infants are a recurring theme from Olmec art, and this one would likely have once been white-slipped to match other known examples. The shape of their heads - like this one - have been attributed to deliberate skull shaping. For an interesting article about Olmec baby figures see "Olmec Babies as Early Portraiture in the Americas" by James Doyle, Assistant Curator, Department of the Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas, April 17, 2015.
Provenance: ex-Merrin Gallery, New York, USA, before 2010; ex-private 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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#149895Expertly repaired and restored from multiple pieces. This is very well done and difficult to discern.Condition
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