*Sculpture anthropomorphe

representing a standing warrior. He is dressed in a loincloth, while his head is surmounted by a pointed helmet adorned with a visor made up of thirteen fringes and held in place by a headband that ends with three parallel vertical straps falling down at the back of the head. The head is imposing and the face is expressive with accentuated features. The almond-shaped eyes are deep-set and hemmed, and the pupils are painted. The nose is fine and decorated with a large V-shaped nasal ornament. The open mouth reveals all the teeth. The large protruding ears are adorned with multiple circular loops with pendants. The face is also decorated with tattoos in geometric patterns. The neck is wide and the rounded shoulders are drooping. The tubular arms are slender and the fingers are gently modelled. The right arm is bent and raised towards the shoulder; it holds a weapon or other ritual object in the hand, the dog-shaped end of which rests on the shoulder. The legs are straight and wide apart, and the feet are large. The entire body is covered with significant traces of manganese oxide. Brown hollow clay with red and grey-green decoration covered with manganese oxide. Good state of preservation Nayarit, Mexico, 100 BC - 250 AD 44 x 23.5 x 13.5 cm Provenance: - Former Alain Brisset collection since 1960. - Former Barry Risa collection since 1997 - Galerie Mermoz, 2000 Lot presented under the temporary importation regime The Nayarit civilization developed in the current state of the same name, along the Pacific coast of Mexico, between 300 B.C. and 500 A.D. Also known as the culture of the "well tombs", it is famous for its burials inside which were found numerous terracotta figurines. The latter, representing characters of daily life, such as warriors, pregnant women or couples, are characterized by large bodies with particularly massive legs, a face with an expressionist character, and rich ornaments such as the rows of rings that decorate the lobes of their ears, large necklaces or nasal ornaments.