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THBRare / Huge Guerrero Chontal Type M20 Stone Figure
About Seller
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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About Auction
LiveNov 10, 2022
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
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- Lot Description
Pre-Columbian, Southern Mexico, Guerrero region, Chontal culture, ca. 600 to 300 BCE. An exemplary abstract anthropomorphic figure of the rare M20 type that is hand-carved from mottled green-hued andesite. The majestic figure presents standing atop delineated, string-cut legs, holding both bent arms atop the abdomen with hands nearly touching, and with deep grooves above that define the chest and arms. Additional string-cut grooves and drilled eyes comprise the minimalist visage, all framed by tall, tab-shaped ears, while a peaked cap rests low on the forehead. Size: 4.2" W x 13.8" H (10.7 cm x 35.1 cm); 14" H (35.6 cm) on included custom stand.
On the topic regarding the rarity of Type M20 figures, scholars Carlo Gay and Frances Pratt explain: "As there are few standing figures of the M-20 type … the duration of the cultural intercourse between the Mezcala and the Chontal traditions appears to have been relatively short -- certainly not long enough for the development of a wider range of hybrid subjects which, at this stage of both traditions, should also include seated figures. M-20 figures account for less than 5 percent of the total number of human representations." (Gay, Carlo and Frances Pratt. "Mezcala: Ancient Stone Sculpture from Guerrero Mexico." Balsas Publications, Geneva, 1992, p. 85)
The Guerrero region is located in present-day southwestern Mexico, and it was the epicenter of both the Mezcala and Chontal stone carving traditions. Whereas, the Mezcala sculptors emphasized geometric abstraction in both anthropomorphic figures as well as architectural models, the Chontal sculptors imbued their works with a degree of naturalism. We know that this lapidary tradition dated to the Preclassic period, and that later Mesoamerican peoples coveted portable stone figures like this example as heirlooms. Archaeologists have excavated numerous pieces in ritual caches at the Templo Mayor, the main temple of the Aztecs of Tenochititlan, for example. What's more, centuries later, many Mexican Modernists including Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo, and artist/anthropologist Miguel Covarrubias were drawn to their minimalistic qualities. Interestingly, Covarrubias compared them to the monumental and serene style of Cycladic art in ancient Greece.
Provenance: ex-Marc Amiguet Schmitt estate, Amiguet's Ancient Art, Evansville, Indiana, USA, acquired prior to January 1, 2010
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.
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#175006Possible professional repair and restoration to outside of proper left leg, but difficult to discern and nearly invisible if present. Minor abrasions, nicks, and pitting commensurate with age, otherwise in choice condition. Beautiful preservation to detailing for a figure of this size!Condition
- Shipping Info
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Artemis Gallery will no longer be able to offer in-house shipping for most international orders, as well as all oversized orders, including most paintings. These items are clearly marked in the listing as “3rd Party Shipping Required” in the listing. We have a list of recommended third party shippers to assist you in shipping to and from, and would be happy to assist you in working with them. We require a written authorization from the client to release property to any third party. You may fax a Shipping Release Form to 303-828-3235 or email your authorization to kristen@artemisgallery.com. Please note the all property must be removed from our premises within seven (7) business days following the last day of the auction.
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