Nayarit Pottery Semi-Nude Standing Woman Holding a Bowl
Pre-Columbian, West Mexico, Nayarit, ca. 300 BCE – 300 CE. A hollow pottery figure of a semi-nude woman, standing on short, splayed legs with carefully toed feet and holding a small bowl before her with both hands. Her bare torso has small breasts with prominent nipples. Below the waist she wears a wrap skirt painted with fine cream geometric bands and lattice. A collar-like necklace circles her throat, clusters of rings hang from her ears, and a ring pierces her nose. A thick twisted headband crowns her head. Her face is broad and alert, with arched brows over large, heavy-lidded almond eyes, a long, prominent nose, and an open mouth that shows delineated teeth. The bowl still holds traces of warm orange slip. It may represent an offering or a serving of food or drink, a theme common in West Mexican tomb figures. Size: 10.5" H x 7" W x 4" D (26.7 cm H x 17.8 cm W x 10.2 cm D).
Figures like this come from the shaft tomb tradition of West Mexico. In what are now Nayarit, Jalisco, and Colima, families were buried in chambers cut deep into volcanic bedrock and reached by vertical shafts. Ceramic figures, often in pairs or groups, were placed with the dead. Nayarit potters were especially interested in costume and personal ornament. Stacked ear rings, nose rings, painted textiles, and wrapped headdresses describe dress and status in their figures more than idealized beauty does. This gives these works an immediacy that sets them apart from the more stylized sculpture of other Mesoamerican traditions.
Provenance: private Charlotte, North Carolina, USA collection, acquired December 6, 2006 from Arte Primitivo, New York, USA, Auction 39, lot 57; collected by Vernon Mackie in the 1950s, thence by descent to family
SHIPPING: We coordinate worldwide shipping in-house through specialist international forwarders experienced with fine art and antiquities customs manifests. International buyers must confirm, prior to bidding, that their country's customs authority will accept the item. All duties, taxes, clearance fees, and any costs arising from customs delays, seizures, re-export, returns, or loss in transit are the buyer's sole responsibility. Artemis assumes no liability for items refused entry, detained, or lost after export. We cannot ship ancient items to their country of origin (Egyptian to Egypt, Greek to Greece, etc.).For those not using LiveAuctioneers' Live Ship program, Artemis Fine Arts offers expert in-house packing and worldwide shipping. With over 20 years of experience, our team provides careful, reliable, and affordable service. For a quick quote on this lot, please contact support@artemisfinearts.com prior to the auction, or call 720-890-7700.
PAYMENT EXCEPTION: For clients not previously established with Artemis, payment for all gold, precious metal, and gemstone lots must be made by bank wire transfer or certified bank check/money order, without exception.
Item #205658
Condition
Missing one proper left toe. Arms and bowl have been professionally reattached with break lines visible. Some light surface wear as shown. Otherwise, very nice presentation with good remaining detail and scattered earthen deposits.
Pre-Columbian, West Mexico, Nayarit, ca. 300 BCE – 300 CE. A hollow pottery figure of a semi-nude woman, standing on short, splayed legs with carefully toed feet and holding a small bowl before her with both hands. Her bare torso has small breasts with prominent nipples. Below the waist she wears a wrap skirt painted with fine cream geometric bands and lattice. A collar-like necklace circles her throat, clusters of rings hang from her ears, and a ring pierces her nose. A thick twisted headband crowns her head. Her face is broad and alert, with arched brows over large, heavy-lidded almond eyes, a long, prominent nose, and an open mouth that shows delineated teeth. The bowl still holds traces of warm orange slip. It may represent an offering or a serving of food or drink, a theme common in West Mexican tomb figures. Size: 10.5" H x 7" W x 4" D (26.7 cm H x 17.8 cm W x 10.2 cm D).
Figures like this come from the shaft tomb tradition of West Mexico. In what are now Nayarit, Jalisco, and Colima, families were buried in chambers cut deep into volcanic bedrock and reached by vertical shafts. Ceramic figures, often in pairs or groups, were placed with the dead. Nayarit potters were especially interested in costume and personal ornament. Stacked ear rings, nose rings, painted textiles, and wrapped headdresses describe dress and status in their figures more than idealized beauty does. This gives these works an immediacy that sets them apart from the more stylized sculpture of other Mesoamerican traditions.
Provenance: private Charlotte, North Carolina, USA collection, acquired December 6, 2006 from Arte Primitivo, New York, USA, Auction 39, lot 57; collected by Vernon Mackie in the 1950s, thence by descent to family
SHIPPING: We coordinate worldwide shipping in-house through specialist international forwarders experienced with fine art and antiquities customs manifests. International buyers must confirm, prior to bidding, that their country's customs authority will accept the item. All duties, taxes, clearance fees, and any costs arising from customs delays, seizures, re-export, returns, or loss in transit are the buyer's sole responsibility. Artemis assumes no liability for items refused entry, detained, or lost after export. We cannot ship ancient items to their country of origin (Egyptian to Egypt, Greek to Greece, etc.).For those not using LiveAuctioneers' Live Ship program, Artemis Fine Arts offers expert in-house packing and worldwide shipping. With over 20 years of experience, our team provides careful, reliable, and affordable service. For a quick quote on this lot, please contact support@artemisfinearts.com prior to the auction, or call 720-890-7700.
PAYMENT EXCEPTION: For clients not previously established with Artemis, payment for all gold, precious metal, and gemstone lots must be made by bank wire transfer or certified bank check/money order, without exception.
Item #205658
Condition
Missing one proper left toe. Arms and bowl have been professionally reattached with break lines visible. Some light surface wear as shown. Otherwise, very nice presentation with good remaining detail and scattered earthen deposits.
