Important polychrome tripod bowl in Ceramic
Guanacaste culture
Period: 800 - 1550 AD
Dimensions: 13 x 27 cm
Weight: 1270 g
Provenance: Former American private collection (Chicago) acquired in the 80 '
Condition: Piece broken in two parts and glued (see photos) Earth deposits and traces of manganese oxide
A certificate of authenticity from the United States mentioning the origin and origin of the piece will be provided upon request.
Remarkable Costa Rica tripod hemispherical cut of Mayan influence. It rests on three feet with human faces with creamy white slip. The expression of the faces is reinforced by large eyes
underlined
by a thin black line and large pupils. Thick eyebrows are drawn on a high forehead embellished with lines. A thin eagle beak-like nose takes place above a half open mouth.
Thin ears bear orange-colored tambas (cylindrical ornaments). We note the artist's concern in making these faces realistic through the care given to details (eyelashes suggested by fine red
lines,
the presence of nostrils) and the use of pigments (red, orange, black, creamy white). The predominantly orange-colored outer surface is composed in the upper part of a succession of three broad
polychromatic bands interrupted by a series of finer black lines. The lower part where the faces are positioned is characterized by a double red line around the heads. These are painted on the
back
of several vertical lines and contain clay balls acting as a cowbell. The polychrome interior is composed in its upper part of red and orange patterns evoking the steps of a pyramid. Underneath
are
three geometric figures patterned braided mats framed by lines forming a square. Between these mats we can find geometric patterns as well as three pairs of stylized fish. In the center of the cup
is
a stylized bird with spread wings.