*Personnage debout

Anthropomorphic sculpture representing a standing figure with stylized features. The legs, straight and separated, are slightly bent. The knees and buttocks are in relief. The waist is marked by a fine groove. The trunk is thin, while the upper torso is massive and the angular shoulders are broad. A shallow circle has been carved under each arm with a drill. The wiry arms are rigid and fall away from the body. The wrists are defined by an engraved line and the fingers are marked by notches. The head, clearly separated from the rest of the body, rests on a broad neck. It has geometric and highly stylized features. The half-open mouth is evoked by a large horizontal cut and the straight lips are sculpted in relief. The triangular nose is straight and its bridge is protruding. The eyes are hollowed out in the shape of an almond and the edges are in relief. The straight ears are defined by a vertical groove. The top of the head has been ritually mutilated. Dark green serpentine. The left forearm has been restored. Restoration on the left foot, in front Guerrero - Olmec influence - Mexico, 400 - 100 B.C. 31.1 x 13.2 x 6.9 cm This figure is characteristic of the Chontal culture, which developed in the southwest of Mexico, in the state of Guerrero, between 350 and 100 B.C. It presents stylized features and a general geometric aspect that give it an essentiality and above all an incredible timelessness. Nevertheless, it also shows a certain Olmec influence, visible especially in the facial features and the mouth in particular. The ritual mutilation of the skull was also an element that was often found in Olmec characters. This mixture of styles testifies to the cultural heritage transmitted by the Olmecs and their undeniable influence on later cultures, which rightly reminds us that the Olmecs are considered the mother civilization of Mesoamerica. Provenance: - Former Stéphane Janssen collection since 1966 - Galerie Mermoz, 1980 Lot presented under the temporary importation regime