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MILLON
114
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Vase with chief's head modelled and painted
Polychrome terra…
See original version (French)
114
-
Vase with chief's head modelled and painted
Polychrome terra…
See original version (French)
Estimate €250 - €350
Voluntary lot
Description
Vase with chief's head
modelled and painted
Polychrome terracotta. Marks of time.
Nicoya, Chorotega, Costa Rica, AD 800 to 1500
H: 22 cm; W: 22 cm
Provenance: Sale Paris, Drouot, Maître Bondut, 01/12/1971, n°48.
Between the 9th and 15th centuries, the cultures of the Nicoya Peninsula on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica developed a wealth of ceramic production, closely associated with the ceremonial world and representations of personages of rank. Chorotega workshops were characterised by their use of refined polychromy and the expressive stylisation of their faces, giving them an instantly recognisable visual identity.
This vase features a portrait of a chief with a powerful, concentrated form, whose composition, almost surreal in its plastic organisation, imposes a singular presence. At the centre of the forehead is a five-petalled flower, a motif associated with the cycles of nature and possibly evoking a form of prescience or superior knowledge, underlining the chief's role as a privileged intermediary between natural forces and his community.
See original version (French)
Auto-translation. Refer to original language for legal validity.
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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