Lot 180, Auction 3/19/2026: Two Jalisco Pottery Nude Figures – Seated & Standing

$455.00

In stock

Pre-Columbian, West Mexico, Jalisco, ca. 300 BCE to 300 CE. A compelling and expressive pair of Jalisco pottery figures, unified by material and scale yet differentiated by posture, gesture, and adornment. Together they exemplify the West Mexican preference for bold figural presence, where the human body becomes a vehicle for identity, status, and ritual meaning. The seated figure is modeled with legs folded beneath the body and hands raised to the neck in a gesture that suggests tension, contemplation, or vocalization. The face is animated by open eyes and bared teeth, lending an immediacy rarely softened in Jalisco sculpture. Tasseled earrings frame the face, while a low headdress caps the head, marking the figure as socially or ritually distinct. The torso is broad and grounded, emphasizing stillness and weight. Size of larger (seated figure): 3.1″ L x 4.2″ W x 6.5″ H (7.9 cm x 10.7 cm x 16.5 cm)

In contrast, the standing nude female figure is upright and frontal, her body simplified into rounded volumes. Prominent raised nipples underscore fertility and corporeal presence, while the absence of clothing is offset by arm bands that serve as the sole ornament. Her stance is direct and unembellished, projecting clarity rather than modesty, and aligning with West Mexican conventions that treat nudity as symbolic rather than erotic.

Surface wear, mineral accretions, and areas of pigment loss attest to burial and age, reinforcing their archaeological authenticity. As a pair, these figures offer a quiet dialogue between movement and repose, ornament and exposure, expression and restraint. They stand as resonant examples of Jalisco figural pottery, where the human form is rendered with honesty, gravity, and enduring presence.

Condition: Larger has been professionally repaired with restoration and repainting over break lines as well as proper left foot reattached with some chipping along visible break line. More petite has had head reattached with chipping along visible break line and chip to nose. Both have expected surface wear with nicks and abrasions. Otherwise, nice presentations with scattered earthen deposits and liberal remaining detail.

Provenance: private Colorado, USA collection; K-20: ex-private Los Angeles, California, USA collection; ex-major gallery, Beverly Hills, California, USA, primarily acquired between 1985 and 2005

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