Origine Expert

Important anthropo-zoomorphic pendant depicting the bust of a shaman in a state of transformation from man to bird. The arms transform into wings, while the chin extends into a triangular beak. The eyes are set within a broad recessed band that accentuates the frontal intensity of the expression. The head is crowned by a helmet-like headdress prolonged by a sagittal crest, reinforcing the verticality and power of the figure. A suspension hole is pierced in the upper section.

Gold and polished jadeite with luminous aquatic reflections; biconical transverse suspension perforation; marks of age.
North Pacific region, Guanacaste, Costa Rica, Period IV, circa 500 BC – AD 500.
13.5 × 5 × 3.5 cm

Provenance:
Castor & Hara sale, Paris–Drouot, December 12, 2011, lot 174.

PreColumbianJewelry AncientAmericas RitualOrnaments LostWaxTradition ArtCollectors

Standing anthropomorphic idol with purified forms, characterized by a highly stylized treatment of the body. The face features deeply incised eyes and mouth, emphasizing the frontal expression. A concave neck clearly marks the transition between the head and the torso. A horizontal incision encircles the body, separating the upper section from the lower zone, while lateral notches indicate the arms pressed against the sides of the figure. The overall piece is distinguished by a deliberately abstract treatment and a remarkable economy of formal means.

Carved hard stone; marks of age.
Mexico, Late Preclassic period, circa 400–100 BC.
20.5 × 5.4 × 4.9 cm

Provenance:
Acquired by its former owner in the 1970s from Galerie Becker, Cannes.
Former private collection, Monaco.
Castor & Hara sale, Paris–Drouot, December 2, 2010, lot 43.

AncientAmericas RitualFigure ArchaeologicalArt PrimitiveAbstraction ArtCollectors

Zoomorphic talismanic pendant depicting a stylized frog represented frontally, with a compact body and legs folded beneath the ventral mass. The bulging eyes, strongly carved in relief, structure the expression and reinforce the visual presence of the animal. Two lateral perforations allow suspension. The piece is distinguished by the simplification of volumes and the immediate readability of its form.

Green jadeite, carved and polished, with luminous aquatic reflections; marks of age.
Central Valley, Costa Rica, Period IV, 500 BC – AD 500.
6.5 × 4 × 0.9 cm

Provenance:
Former Jean-Paul Agogué collection, Paris.
Former Alex Bernand collection, London.
Castor & Hara sale, Paris–Drouot, December 12, 2011, lot 105.

CentralValleyCulture PreColumbianArt RitualTalisman AncientAmericas ArtCollectors