PRE-COLUMBIAN NICOYA COSTA RICAN HIGHLY DECORATED JAGUAR VESSEL CA.900-1400 ADOffered is a Pre-Columbian (prior to16th c.) Nicoya or Guanacaste decorated jaguar vessel, ca. 900-1400 AD from Costa Rica which is 11 inches (approximately 24 cm.) in height. The globular vessel sits on an attached pedestal vase. Bands of geometric shapes, iconographic images and lower banding are in hues of cream slip, black and dark red vegetable paint. The stylized human arms extend from the humanized jaguar head with gaping mouth which contains a clay pebble rattle. Beautifully designed and painted with fascinating iconography!Condition: in very good condition. No discernable cracks. Some minimal burnishing on the paint consistent with age and use. Glossy patina on exterior. The interior (not pictured), other than having a dark red band near the inside top has a cream slip but is not glossy. The underside, or bottom, shows the original color of the clay used to fabricate this vessel, and is not glazed, but shows extensive mineral deposits as do other areas of the vessel. My perspective on the piece is that it was fabricated by a very good free-hand artist. If you look at the solid red paint lower register, it has obviously been painted with some irregularity. If you look at the low light pic, the top of this clay vessel is not uniformly even. But if you focus on the painted detail in the main body of the vessel there is uniformity, creativity, uniqueness and symmetry. These are among my criteria for a well-executed Pre-Columbian painted vessel. Another example which gave me the conclusion that this piece was done "free-hand" is the irregularity of the diamond-geometric forms near the top of the vessel.Provenance: Santa Fe Auction Gallery, Santa Fe, NM, a private Ca. collection, I have the receipt from 1988 when this piece was sold by RC Wyowedski.Guaranteed authenticity.Please contact me with any question.
