Anthropomorphic Mask, Nariño–Carchi Culture

Anthropomorphic Mask
Nariño–Carchi Culture, Andean region of southern Colombia and northern Ecuador, ca. 600–1500 AD

Modelled and painted terracotta
Sold with its base
H: 16.8 cm
Excellent condition; traces of root marks from a long period of burial.

Provenance:
André Emmerich Gallery (1924–2007)
Paris art market, 2014
Private collection

This mask depicts a stylized human face covered with an ochre-yellow slip enhanced with painted red and white bands. The eyes and mouth are pierced, while large perforated ear ornaments decorate the cheeks, reflecting the characteristic adornments of Andean elites. Lateral perforations indicate that the mask may have been attached to a textile or funerary support.

The provenance of this work is distinguished: it comes from the celebrated dealer André Emmerich, who founded his New York gallery in 1954, specializing in contemporary art, antiquities, and pre-Columbian art. He is particularly known for championing the Colour Field movement, representing major artists such as Helen Frankenthaler, Morris Louis, and Kenneth Noland. His gallery later expanded with a branch in Zurich and a space in SoHo.