*Standing nude goddess

*Standing nude goddess

her opulent bosom associated with a concept of fecundity. Her face, set in a rectangular space, displays a dynamic, vigorous expression. Her headdress is in the form of a stepped, openwork temple capital. San Jeronimo, Guerrero coastal region, Mexico, 1100-600 B.C. 14.4 x 7.8 x 2.7 cm Provenance: former Guy Joussemet collection since 1968. Bibliography: Gérald Berjonneau, Jean Louis Sonnery, Chefs-d'Oeuvre Inédits, Art Précolombien Mexique Guatemala, Éditions Office du Livre ARTS, 1985, p.102, Fig.113 for a similar statuette. This extremely rare sculpture is treated as a monumental figure. The artist's flat treatment of the body contrasts with the high-relief elements such as the chest and the openwork. The expression on her face, seemingly captured on the spot, gives strength and life to this goddess of fertility.