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MILLON
106
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Head of a singer with crown of thorns
Orange-beige terracott…
See original version (French)
106
-
Head of a singer with crown of thorns
Orange-beige terracott…
See original version (French)
Estimate €400 - €700
Voluntary lot
Description
Head of a singer
with crown of thorns
Orange-beige terracotta with remains of bitumen on the crown and eyes.
Some chips and visible damage.
Totonaque, Veracruz, Mexico, 500 to 900 AD
H: 24.5 cm; W: 16 cm
Provenance: Sale Paris, Drouot, study Ader-Picard-Tajan, 23-24-25/06/1975, n°51.
Totonac culture flourished on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, mainly in the Veracruz region and north of Puebla. Between the 3rd and 9th centuries, this civilisation reached its apogee around the great ceremonial centre of El Tajín, one of the most remarkable sites in pre-Hispanic Mesoamerica. These representations, often interpreted as figures linked to ball-game rituals or ceremonies in honour of fertility deities, bear witness to a singular artistic sensibility.
This head is distinguished by the presence of a crown of thorns. The expressive power of the modelling and the quality of the execution make this a particularly eloquent example of this art.
See original version (French)
Auto-translation. Refer to original language for legal validity.
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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