Mexico, Basin of Mexico, Tlatilco
300–200 BC
Ceramic
Height: 4⅞ in (12.4 cm)
Provenance: William Siegal, Santa Fe, New Mexico, April 2015; Private Collection, Honolulu, Hawaii
The Tlatilco culture of the Basin of Central Mexico produced a range of ceramic figurine types during the Middle Preclassic period, among them standing female figures that represent the tradition at its most fully resolved. These figures combine a compact, symmetrical stance with expressive facial modeling, elaborate coiffure, and details of jewelry and body ornamentation that provide a rare window into personal adornment and identity in Preclassic Mexico. William Siegal, Santa Fe, was one of the established American dealers in Pre-Columbian art whose gallery represented material of consistent quality and documented provenance.
This standing figure wears a distinctive rounded helmet-like headdress with a central projecting element, large ear ornaments, a necklace, and a belt with pendant elements at the waist, with the body modeled with the direct naturalism characteristic of Tlatilco production at its best. The surface retains an earth tone patina consistent with burial context, and the figure is intact. The two-owner provenance through William Siegal and a Honolulu private collection gives this piece a clear and recent collecting history.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
Mexico, Basin of Mexico, Tlatilco
300–200 BC
Ceramic
Height: 4⅞ in (12.4 cm)
Provenance: William Siegal, Santa Fe, New Mexico, April 2015; Private Collection, Honolulu, Hawaii
The Tlatilco culture of the Basin of Central Mexico produced a range of ceramic figurine types during the Middle Preclassic period, among them standing female figures that represent the tradition at its most fully resolved. These figures combine a compact, symmetrical stance with expressive facial modeling, elaborate coiffure, and details of jewelry and body ornamentation that provide a rare window into personal adornment and identity in Preclassic Mexico. William Siegal, Santa Fe, was one of the established American dealers in Pre-Columbian art whose gallery represented material of consistent quality and documented provenance.
This standing figure wears a distinctive rounded helmet-like headdress with a central projecting element, large ear ornaments, a necklace, and a belt with pendant elements at the waist, with the body modeled with the direct naturalism characteristic of Tlatilco production at its best. The surface retains an earth tone patina consistent with burial context, and the figure is intact. The two-owner provenance through William Siegal and a Honolulu private collection gives this piece a clear and recent collecting history.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
