Lot 150, Auction 3/19/2026: Large Tlatilco Pottery Standing Nude Female Figure

$715.00

In stock

Pre-Columbian, Central Mexico, Tlatilco culture, ca. 1200 to 900 BCE. A large and confidently modeled Tlatilco pottery figure depicting a nude female standing akimbo, her hands placed firmly at the hips in a posture that emphasizes balance and authority. The robust proportions and simplified modeling reflect the early figural traditions of the Formative period, prioritizing presence and symbolism over naturalistic detail. The figure wears a prominent headdress that rises dramatically above the head, likely signifying status or ritual identity. Facial features are rendered in a restrained, schematic manner, with almond shaped eyes and a calm, inward expression. Pierced ears and subtle surface details suggest an awareness of bodily adornment despite the absence of applied jewelry. Size: 4.6″ W x 10.8″ H (11.7 cm x 27.4 cm)

Hollow formed with a vent hole at the abdomen, the sculpture retains mottled reddish and buff surfaces with mineral staining consistent with age and burial. Figures of this type are commonly associated with themes of fertility, identity, and ceremonial function within early communities of Central Mexico, offering a powerful expression of the human form as a symbolic vessel.

Condition: Top heavy; cannot stand independent of support. Weathering to surface commensurate with age. Otherwise, intact and excellent with rich manganese deposits to surface.

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

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all purchases.

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