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 one of the most significant subjects 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, one of the foremost dealers in pre-Columbian art in the mid-20th century.
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 one of the most significant subjects 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, one of the foremost dealers in pre-Columbian art in the mid-20th century.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
