143 - Large anthropomorphic statue

Large anthropomorphic statue topped with a jaguar head Carved basalt, semi-polished, showing signs of age. Attributed to the Chontal tradition, with Olmec-like influences, from the Guerrero region, Mexico. H: 80 cm Provenance: Former Mythes et Légendes gallery, 18 Place des Vosges, Paris 4th arrondissement (certificate by Michel Cohen, Paris, dated December 10, 1980). With forearms crossed over the chest and hands drawn back toward the shoulders, this figure adopts a posture that is both protective and timeless. Its deeply set eyes and rounded mouth complement this gesture, which is characteristic of Chontal statuary. A belt marks the waist and holds in place a short rectangular loincloth, whose arrangement is reminiscent of certain Olmec figures. Above this contemplative face, the jaguar opens its mouth wide and bares its teeth. One can see in this the image of an authority imbued with the strength of the feline. The work is part of the influence of Olmec art in Guerrero, where the connections between humans, animals, and the supernatural world have long shaped representations of power. Finally, the lower extension suggests that the statue was once planted vertically in a site specifically designed to accommodate it. Documentary references: – Karl A. Taube, *Olmec Art at Dumbarton Oaks*, Washington, D.C., Dumbarton Oaks, 2004, pp. 70–72, fig. 32: study of the frontal loincloths and their symbolism. – Rosa María Reyna Robles and Paul Schmidt Schoenberg, “El estilo olmeca en Guerrero,” *Arqueología Mexicana*, no. 82, 2006, pp. 38–41. – Nicholas J. Saunders, “The Feline Icon in Mexico: Jaws, Claws, and Nails,” *Arqueología Mexicana*, no. 72, 2005, pp. 20–27.