Chilean Atacama Polychrome Venus Idol Figure

Pre-Columbian, Chile, Atacama Desert region, ca. 100 BCE to 100 CE. A hand-built pottery Venus idol figure with a smooth body standing atop a pair of nubbin feet. The highly burnished figure holds her arms together atop her abdomen, has rounded shoulders, and presents with a rigid posture. Her elongated head features diagonal, slit-form eyes that flank a slightly crooked nose, a petite mouth above a concave chin, S-shaped scarification marks across her cheeks, and a vertically striated cap that sits low on her forehead. Layers of russet, creamy yellow, and dark brown pigment imbue the figure with a colorful presentation. Size: 2.75" W x 7.8" H (7 cm x 19.8 cm); 9.1" H (23.1 cm) on included custom stand.

Provenance: ex-private Hans Juergen Westermann collection, Germany, collected in 1950 to the 1960s

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 to most countries and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.

#150542 Dimensions: Condition Report: Professionally repaired from two large pieces across chest, with resurfacing and overpainting along break lines. Chips to nose, feet, and peripheries, with light fading to original pigment. Nice earthen deposits and traces of original pigment throughout.