Painted Squatting Ritual Figure Vessel

Collectibles : Folk Art

 

The squatting figure that holds a jar on its back has attached elements of ritual garb including ear spools (red; photo 7), round bracelets and anklets (yellow), an elaborate headdress ( green; photo 7), a necklace (green), and a loincloth with an incised design (red; photo 9). The rim of the vessel is also painted green, with an incised wave along the inner lip (photo 6). There are two small places along the outer rim of the jar that may be flakes or spots that the paint missed. Because of their position, the arms are dissimilar: the left arm, positioned to hold the top of the jar, juts forward, and the elbow is quite pointed (photo 3). The right arm, placed around the middle of the jar has no joint at all (photo 5). It stands on the 2 legs of the figure and a third "tail" attached at the rear of the jar. The vessel is 5.5" high with an incised design that may represent lightning or a snake (photos 3 and 4). The design is painted yellow and both ends are squared rather than round. I don't know how old it is or its origin. I bought it at the estate sale of a wealthy Lubbock family that collected what looked to my untrained eye to be quite old.

Item ID: 2346