147 - - Pair of male and female figures

- Pair of male and female figures standing, hands raised Beige terracotta, traces of white polychrome, slightly broken and repaired, minor touch-ups. Veracruz, Remojadas/Nopiloa group, Mexico, Classic period, ca. 600–900 CE. 39 x 24.5 cm; 40 x 26.5 cm Provenance: Former collection of Dr. Viktoria Von Flemming. Former collection of Robert L. Stolper, Munich. The work entered Germany in the first half of the 20th century. Gaïa Auction, Paris, May 27, 2008, lot no. 419. This couple is depicted standing with their arms raised, likely symbolizing a call to the forces of nature. The female figure wears a loose headdress with side flaps and an ornate skirt. The male figure is distinguished by his rounded headdress and rectangular loincloth. The richness of their adornments suggests a high rank within the clan. Their smiles and fixed gazes give the faces an ecstatic expression, which may evoke an altered state of consciousness. María Teresa Uriarte (1986) links these figures to ceremonies combining dance, music, and the consumption of entheogens, sometimes in a healing context. She also notes figures that appear to be dancing in pairs. Doris Heyden, whose work is cited by Víctor Manuel González Esparza (1999), suggests that the smiles may reflect the effects of a psychoactive substance, specifically ololiuhqui. González Esparza explores this connection between the smiling figures and ritual ecstasy. These interpretations offer a shamanic perspective on this group, whose gestures and expressions seem to unite the figures in a shared celebration. References: – María Teresa Uriarte, “Caritas sonrientes del centro de Veracruz,” Anales del Instituto de Investigaciones Estéticas, vol. XIV, no. 55, UNAM, 1986, pp. 27–30. – Víctor Manuel González Esparza, “Las ‘Caritas Sonrientes’ o los ‘duendecillos del éxtasis’,” Caleidoscopio, no. 5, 1999.