Pre-Columbian, central Mexico, northern Veracruz, Huastec culture, ca. 600 to 900 CE. A fantastic standing ceramic figure of a woman boasting applied decorative ornaments and clothing, as well as shiny black bitumen-colored details. Facing forward, the fascinating female plants both feet firmly on the ground with a third leg extending from her posterior, allowing her to stand well on her own regardless of her large figure and hefty weight. She gestures as though blessing - arms outspread to her sides, elbows slightly bent, and palms open and facing upward. Dressed elaborately, she wears a skirt with a thick waistband composed of 3 rounded bands and a long pectoral that hangs between her breasts, with a 3-dimensional, feather-like pendant at its center. Her feet are adorned by anklets studded with disc-like beads, while her arms are bedazzled by armlets with hanging feather-like projections and thick bracelets. Size: 12.8" W x 16.6" H (32.5 cm x 42.2 cm)

An extensive headdress crowns her sizeable head, flaring outward at the sides in radiating bands that resemble the spread wings of an insect and held in place with a wide strap that runs from her temples to underneath her nose. Her expression is serious, with large eyes beneath arched brows, a pointed nose, and fleshy lips held slightly open.

This figure showcases the amazing style of the Veracruz, whose depictions of startling lifelike but clearly magical figures is unparalleled in ancient Mesoamerica. Excavations near the modern Mexican town of Remojadas have revealed two types of impressive, detailed pottery figures from the Veracruz period: the Sonrientes, the joyous "smiling faces," and figures like this one, more serious, mostly adult female figures, with elaborate costumes, themes, and sometimes props that all seem to point towards religious or political ceremonies. These figures are often found with the bodies smashed into pieces and the heads largely intact - they were ritually destroyed as burial offerings. Their clothing suggests that they depict people of import in society, maybe priests or nobility.

Cf. Cleveland Museum of Art, 1990.243.2. A pair of similar figures was sold by Sotheby's New York for $18,750.00, "African, Oceanic And Pre-Columbian Art" Sale # NO8444, lot 24 on May 16th, 2008.

Provenance: private Hidden Valley Lake, California, USA collection, purchased May 24, 2019; ex-Artemis Gallery; ex-private Hawaii, USA collection; ex-private T. Misenhimer collection, Hollywood, California, USA, famous Hollywood film producer

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#170504

Repaired from multiple pieces, with restoration and overpainting along the repair lines. Break line visible on third leg. Restoration to areas of legs, feet, headdress, belt, neck, arms, and hands. Tip of nose and small area of the mouth is lost. Otherwise, excellent with nice original bitumen.