Sale 218 Lot 340

VALDIVIA SIX-SIDE CARVED SANDSTONE MONOLITH IDOL (Ecuador) 2300-2000 B.C. This cubic-form idol is carved with a remarkably well-balanced geometry, its four large vertical sides each bearing double idol figures distinguished by wide, open eyes that symbolize the clairvoyance and heightened spiritual perception of the shamans they represent, their bodies rendered in a highly stylized, abstracted manner. On the two horizontal sides, the head is depicted, completing the figure's symbolic totality across every face of the form. The sculpture rises in a tall, columnar composition divided into distinct horizontal registers, each surface deeply incised with geometric reliefs that speak to the culture's sophisticated and deliberate artistic vocabulary. The uppermost tier features paired arched motifs evoking doorways or sacred portals, while the middle sections present bold rectangular and rounded forms that suggest abstracted architectural or anthropomorphic references, and the lower register carries rhythmic vertical channel carvings that anchor the piece with a strong sense of verticality and structure. Throughout, the stone surface — rendered in soft cream and pale grey tones — bears a rich natural patina of age, its dark mineral deposits and weathered textures distributed organically across the face of the sculpture, lending it both visual depth and an unmistakable sense of archaeological authenticity. 12 in. high.
$6,000-8,000

PROVENANCE: Collection of a former Ecuadorian Ambassador to the United States, Washington, D.C. (by 1975); Acquired from the above by a private collector, Washington, D.C. (circa 1975–2010); Sold at Sloans & Kenyon Auctioneers, Chevy Chase, Maryland, Auction 53, Lot 805, 24 September 2010.

NOTE: Alexander Hirtz wrote in the summary of "The Valdivia Civilization", "The Valdivias, a pre-Columbian culture from West Coast Ecuador, distinguished themselves for their sophistication between 6400 BP and 3500 BP (BP= Before Present) outranking any other culture in America of that period."