Exhibited Nayarit Bi-Chrome Male & Female Matched Pair
Pre-Columbian, West Mexico, Nayarit, ca. 300 BCE to 300 CE. A magnificent seated bichrome terracotta couple created by the ancient Nayarit peoples. Both the male and female figures are finely modeled with elaborate details and skillfully finished in hand-painted red and cream slip. The male sits with upraised knees revealing his genitalia and faces dramatically toward his left while wielding a long club across his knees. He is magnificently detailed from head to toe with a grand conical headdress that is highly decorated with stylized stepped and dotted motifs, intricately modeled and painted ear ornaments and large crescent-shaped nose ring, protruding ornaments at the corners of the lips, scarifications on his puffy cheeks, a multi-stranded 'beaded' pectoral, armbands and leg ornaments (perhaps paint or tattoos), and a fancy cloak cascading behind his shoulders and decorated with a marvelous abstract zoomorphic figure flanked by bas relief serpentine figures on the back. Size: Slightly taller male figure (female is close in size) measures 5.875" W x 10.375" H (14.9 cm x 26.4 cm)
The female sits upon her knees which are folded to her right beneath her skirt, holding a decorated vessel in her raised right hand, while placing her left hand upon her protruding perhaps pregnant belly. She too shows extensive details including a headband painted with stylized zigzags and striations, intricate looped ear ornaments, multiple noserings, similar lip ornaments to those of the male figure, the same multi-stranded necklace as her partner only with an additional strand of shells or perhaps feathered amulets, and though bare-chested with pendulous breasts, she does wear a skirt with wonderful stepped motifs adorning the overall checkerboard pattern. Both figures display dramatic countenances with such expressive faces. A fabulous pair, and so rare to find a matching male and female of this quality, size, and condition. Just marvelous!
Provenance: ex-private collection of the late Father Bader, University of St. Thomas, Houston, Texas, USA; exhibited in the University of St. Thomas Art Gallery, acquired prior to 2000
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.
#154252
Condition Report: Female shows loss to peripheries of vent hole atop head and left ear/ear ornaments. Her left ear possibly reattached. Male shows loss to headdress, left ear/ear ornaments, and ends of club. His head was possibly reattached, though it just may have been sculpted separately and attached by the sculptor. Both show minor surface wear but have ample white slip painted details and nice areas of deposits. Male has vent hole on back of his neck. Both have old inventory numbers handwritten on undersides.
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Pre-Columbian, West Mexico, Nayarit, ca. 300 BCE to 300 CE. A magnificent seated bichrome terracotta couple created by the ancient Nayarit peoples. Both the male and female figures are finely modeled with elaborate details and skillfully finished in hand-painted red and cream slip. The male sits with upraised knees revealing his genitalia and faces dramatically toward his left while wielding a long club across his knees. He is magnificently detailed from head to toe with a grand conical headdress that is highly decorated with stylized stepped and dotted motifs, intricately modeled and painted ear ornaments and large crescent-shaped nose ring, protruding ornaments at the corners of the lips, scarifications on his puffy cheeks, a multi-stranded 'beaded' pectoral, armbands and leg ornaments (perhaps paint or tattoos), and a fancy cloak cascading behind his shoulders and decorated with a marvelous abstract zoomorphic figure flanked by bas relief serpentine figures on the back. Size: Slightly taller male figure (female is close in size) measures 5.875" W x 10.375" H (14.9 cm x 26.4 cm)
The female sits upon her knees which are folded to her right beneath her skirt, holding a decorated vessel in her raised right hand, while placing her left hand upon her protruding perhaps pregnant belly. She too shows extensive details including a headband painted with stylized zigzags and striations, intricate looped ear ornaments, multiple noserings, similar lip ornaments to those of the male figure, the same multi-stranded necklace as her partner only with an additional strand of shells or perhaps feathered amulets, and though bare-chested with pendulous breasts, she does wear a skirt with wonderful stepped motifs adorning the overall checkerboard pattern. Both figures display dramatic countenances with such expressive faces. A fabulous pair, and so rare to find a matching male and female of this quality, size, and condition. Just marvelous!
Provenance: ex-private collection of the late Father Bader, University of St. Thomas, Houston, Texas, USA; exhibited in the University of St. Thomas Art Gallery, acquired prior to 2000
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.
#154252
Condition Report: Female shows loss to peripheries of vent hole atop head and left ear/ear ornaments. Her left ear possibly reattached. Male shows loss to headdress, left ear/ear ornaments, and ends of club. His head was possibly reattached, though it just may have been sculpted separately and attached by the sculptor. Both show minor surface wear but have ample white slip painted details and nice areas of deposits. Male has vent hole on back of his neck. Both have old inventory numbers handwritten on undersides.
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