Colima
West Mexico
100 BC–250 AD
Ceramic
Height 10 1/4"; Length 18 1/2"
Provenance: Earl Stendahl, Los Angeles
This large Colima redware dog stands on all four legs with head raised and mouth open, the incised teeth and gumline clearly rendered, and a dark slip mask covering the face and muzzle in contrast to the warm red-brown of the body. The ears are large and upright, a small horn or topknot rises from the crown of the head, and the tail curls upward at the rear, giving the figure an alert, forward-facing posture. Extensive root marks cross the body surface, the result of long burial, and are consistent with ancient pieces recovered in situ.
The Colima dog is a recurring subject in West Mexican pre-Columbian ceramic production, associated with the hairless Xoloitzcuintli breed believed to guide the dead through the underworld in ancient Mesoamerican belief. At 18 1/2" in length this is a large example of the type, and the dark facial mask is a feature that appears across several Colima dog variants. The piece comes from the inventory of Earl Stendahl of Los Angeles, a Los Angeles dealer in pre-Columbian art from the 1930s onward.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
Colima
West Mexico
100 BC–250 AD
Ceramic
Height 10 1/4"; Length 18 1/2"
Provenance: Earl Stendahl, Los Angeles
This large Colima redware dog stands on all four legs with head raised and mouth open, the incised teeth and gumline clearly rendered, and a dark slip mask covering the face and muzzle in contrast to the warm red-brown of the body. The ears are large and upright, a small horn or topknot rises from the crown of the head, and the tail curls upward at the rear, giving the figure an alert, forward-facing posture. Extensive root marks cross the body surface, the result of long burial, and are consistent with ancient pieces recovered in situ.
The Colima dog is a recurring subject in West Mexican pre-Columbian ceramic production, associated with the hairless Xoloitzcuintli breed believed to guide the dead through the underworld in ancient Mesoamerican belief. At 18 1/2" in length this is a large example of the type, and the dark facial mask is a feature that appears across several Colima dog variants. The piece comes from the inventory of Earl Stendahl of Los Angeles, a Los Angeles dealer in pre-Columbian art from the 1930s onward.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
