Mexico, Olmec and Tlatilco cultures
300–200 BC
Ceramic
Range: 1¼ in – 2½ in (3.2 – 6.4 cm)
Provenance: Private New England Collection, before 1950
Olmec and Tlatilco ceramic heads represent two of the earliest and most significant figurative traditions of ancient Mesoamerica, both associated with the Preclassic period and both influential on subsequent artistic developments across the region. Olmec heads are characterized by the distinctive downturned mouth, broad nose, and generalized features associated with the Gulf Coast heartland tradition, while Tlatilco heads display the more animated, individualized modeling characteristic of the Basin of Mexico tradition. Small detached heads of this type survive in considerable numbers and were produced both as independent objects and as components of larger figurines.
This group brings together examples of both types, ranging in size from 1¼ to 2½ inches, and includes heads with varying degrees of surface detail and preservation. The pre-1950 New England provenance places the group among the earliest documented American private collections of Preclassic Mexican ceramic material, predating the systematic market for such objects by at least a generation. Several examples retain traces of original surface treatment visible under close examination.
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Mexico, Olmec and Tlatilco cultures
300–200 BC
Ceramic
Range: 1¼ in – 2½ in (3.2 – 6.4 cm)
Provenance: Private New England Collection, before 1950
Olmec and Tlatilco ceramic heads represent two of the earliest and most significant figurative traditions of ancient Mesoamerica, both associated with the Preclassic period and both influential on subsequent artistic developments across the region. Olmec heads are characterized by the distinctive downturned mouth, broad nose, and generalized features associated with the Gulf Coast heartland tradition, while Tlatilco heads display the more animated, individualized modeling characteristic of the Basin of Mexico tradition. Small detached heads of this type survive in considerable numbers and were produced both as independent objects and as components of larger figurines.
This group brings together examples of both types, ranging in size from 1¼ to 2½ inches, and includes heads with varying degrees of surface detail and preservation. The pre-1950 New England provenance places the group among the earliest documented American private collections of Preclassic Mexican ceramic material, predating the systematic market for such objects by at least a generation. Several examples retain traces of original surface treatment visible under close examination.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
