Pre-Colombian Tabasco kneeling jade Olmec figure

Pre-Columbian, Tabasco Mexico, Olmec, ca. 1150 to 500 BCE.
 

A finely carved jadeite kneeling figure, with hands placed underneath an offering bowl, a bowing torso, and his elongated head (misshapen due to artificial cranial deformation practiced by the Olmec peoples) presents traditional Olmec babyface features such as slanted eyes, jowly cheeks, a full nose, two classical ear decorations and a downturned were-jaguar mouth.

In addition to this powerful iconography, the inherent beauty of the jade is lovely. 

The first major civilization in Meso-America was that of the Olmec, established in the tropical lowlands of south-central Mexico around 1500 BCE. The Olmec were very advanced, creating monumental architecture, colossal statuary, as well as a sophisticated aristocracy that enjoyed fine objects made from obsidian and jade like this example. 
 

Dim: 8 h x 3 w x 4 d cm / 110 gr 

Provenance:

Private Parisian collection

According to the last owner: bought and collected by his Southern Californian family in the 1970's from a private USA collection of Pre-Columbian art.