Large Nayarit Seated Figure, Lagunillas Type A, Protoclassic, circa 100 BC - AD 250

Acquired by 1971 (listed as no. 5 in the September 10, 1973 appraisal of the collection)

The largest of the “ Chinesco” figures are the Lagunillas Type A, portraying youthful men and women in relaxed postures during initiation rites. This young man is minimally adorned with small nose rings and necklaces, with a long plait of rectangular coiffure or headdress on the back. His recessed eyes and smile give a quizzical aura to his overall confident posture. The mottled surface of this figure is a naturally occurring sign of age. 

Since the early explorations of Carl Lumholtz and Adela Breton in Mexico in the early 20th century and into the 1940s with Diego Rivera, the ceramic art of West Mexico has been recognized and celebrated for its vitality, diverse representations of humanity, and varied styles of abstraction.

For similar examples, see Hasso von Winning, Shaft Tomb Figures of West Mexico, Los Angeles, 1974, p. 172, fig. 309; Jacki Gallagher, Companions of the Dead: Ceramic Tomb Sculpture from Ancient West Mexico, Los Angeles, 1983, p. 118, fig. 150.