\\\\*Anthropomorphic sculpture

\\\\*Anthropomorphic sculpture

depicting a standing figure, probably a shaman, placing his left hand on the head of a figure lying next to him, on all fours like a dog, as a sign of submission. The tall figure has sturdy legs, separated and slightly bent. He is dressed in darkly painted breeches. His torso is muscular and his chest is in relief. The shoulders are broad and round. The right arm is bent, the hand slightly raised and firmly holding a stick. The left arm is pointing down, with the hand resting on the little figure's head. The elongated head is very expressive. The mouth, with its thin lips, is closed. The nose is long and straight. The almond-shaped eyes are hemmed. The ears are prominent. The forehead is high. The skull is covered with a tight headdress. The entire face is decorated with black tattoos: a rhombus surrounds the mouth, large triangles frame the eyes, and small circles adorn the cheeks and forehead. To the left of the large figure, a small, naked figure lies on all fours, in a posture that makes him look like a dog, and clearly indicates an attitude of submission and transmission. His head is held by the large figure. His mouth is half-open, his nose is long and thin, and his eyes are closed. His face is decorated with the same tattoos as the large figure. Contrary to what we might think at first glance, the sculpture presented here does not depict a scene between a warrior and his prisoner. Indeed, thanks to the identical tattoos adorning their faces, we can identify these two figures as belonging to the same clan. We can therefore affirm that this is a ritual scene, illustrating the act of submission, in which the shaman demonstrates his authority. This type of scene is quite rare and makes this sculpture an exceptional piece, reinforced by the object's beautiful expressiveness and excellent state of preservation. Hollow beige terracotta with beige-brown slip and significant traces of manganese oxide Jalisco, Mexico, 100 BC - 250 AD 42.5 x 37.4 x 20 cm Provenance : - Former Yvon Collet collection since 1969 - Galerie Mermoz,1990 Publication : Figures de pierre. L'art du Guerrero dans le Mexique précolombien, cat. exp. from October 2 to November 21, 1992, Musée-Galerie de la Seita, Paris, p. 93, n°209