An Exquisite Olmec Standing Figure...

Description

An Exquisite Olmec Standing Figure
Mexico, Middle Pre-Classic Period, circa 900-300 BC

Translucent blue-green jade with a high polish, residue of inlay material in the eyes. Standing figure with large oval shaped head with almond eyes, flattened nose and full lips. The head sits solidly on the sloping shoulders, which emphasizes the exaggerated size of the head. The shape of the head evinces the cranial deformation practiced by elites. The shoulders are rounded, the arms hang at the figure's side and the legs are spread apart. This small figure has exquisitely carved details: fine incisions mark the joints of the arms and legs, fingers, breasts, loincloth, buttocks, and toes. Conically drilled piercings at earlobes. In excellent condition. A dimple on the crown of the head with rough edges is original to the piece. Olmec lapidaries frequently left a small area on top of the head of stone human figures unfinished. These areas are usually dimple shaped and often reveal an unpolished section of the original stone used to carve the sculpture. With a metal stand.

Olmec figures that were carved in translucent blue-green jade evince an astonishing beauty and some found their way as heirlooms into later Mesoamerican cultures.

Provenance:
Private Collection, New York
Acquired by the current collection in 2007
A New York Art Gallery

Height: 3 ¼ inches

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