149 - - Seated figure

- Seated figure with a powerful physique, wearing a wide belt Orange, beige, and coffee-red terracotta, slightly chipped and repaired, showing signs of age. Veracruz, Mexico, 200–700 CE. 45 x 27 x 30 cm Thermoluminescence analysis by the Kotalla laboratory, January 12, 1993. Provenance: Gaïa Auction, Paris, June 13, 2007, lot no. 245. Seated with crossed legs, this figure commands attention through the power of its physique and the grandeur of its proportions. The carefully rendered hands rest near the knees and the wide belt. The ear ornaments and the relief decoration on the shoulders emphasize his ceremonial appearance. The face, enlivened by a slightly parted mouth revealing the teeth, is the focal point of the figure’s expression. The stability of the posture contrasts with the liveliness of the features, giving the work as a whole a unique presence. Comparative reference: Museo Amparo, Puebla, “Sculpture of a Seated Man Who Appears to Be Singing,” catalog entry no. 482. Similarities include the seated posture, the construction of the body, and the expression of the mouth.