Pair of Miniature Teotihuacan Greenstone Figurals

About Auction

Live

VARIETY SALE | Ancient, Asian, Ethnographic

By Artemis Gallery

Feb 3, 2022

Set Reminder 2022-02-03 10:00:00 2022-02-03 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : VARIETY SALE | Ancient, Asian, Ethnographic https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/variety-sale-ancient-asian-ethnographic-8833
Join us for our first sale of February with a spotlight on two fabulous collections, one from Lumberton, Texas, and the other from Whisnant Gallery in New Orleans. Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com

View Full Catalog (340)

• Lot Description
  Pre-Columbian, Valley of Mexico, Teotihuacan culture, ca. 3rd to 7th century CE. A beautiful set of two hand-carved and string-cut greenstone figures of characteristically stylized presentations, each presenting similar forms with nubbin legs, skirted lower bodies, and abdomens adorned in tunics that shroud most of their arms. The first figure is carved from a mottled sage green stone and features a protruding, rounded countenance with puffy eyes and lips, a triangular nose, tab-shaped ears, and a headband incised with a sparse crosshatch motif. The taller figure is hewn from forest green stone with dark gray veining and has a peaked chin, deep nasolabial folds, bar-form ears, and a minimalist, tiered cap. Ancient Meso-American artisans were adept at reducing the human form down to minimal, elegant shapes via the meticulous string-cut technique, and these figures are wonderful examples that demonstrate this skill! Size (light green): 0.85" W x 2.25" H (2.2 cm x 5.7 cm); (dark green): 1.4" W x 2.9" H (3.6 cm x 7.4 cm); 3.2" H (8.1 cm) on included custom stand.
  
  Teotihuacan was at one time the largest city in the Pre-Columbian world, famous for its pyramids (Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of the Moon) as well as the Great Compound with the Temple of Quetzalcoatl (aka Temple of the Plumed Serpent) punctuating the Avenue of the Dead. Stone figures like these are perhaps the best-known works of Teotihuacan art. Examples like these figures from Teotihuacan often have idealized features - rather than individual depictions - and calm expressions, with simple lines used economically in order to create powerful effigies without excessive detail.
  
  Provenance: ex-Chicago, Illinois, USA collection, before the 1970s
  
  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.
  
  b>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 b>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 firm.
  
  Display stands not described as included/custom in the item description are for photography purposes only and will not be included with the item upon shipping.
  
  #167857

  Condition

  Larger figure has possible repair to area behind legs but is very well concealed if so; smaller figure is intact and very good. Smaller figure has minor chipping along back and feet, and larger figure has nicks and chips to lower body, feet, and face. Great surface smoothness and nice earthen deposits throughout.
• 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.

• Buyer's Premium
  • 26.50 %