Vintage Guatemalan Hand Carved and Painted Bull Folk Art Sculpture

Description

Folk art is a fascinating way to uniquely decorate your home, add inspiration, conversational interest (especially during entertaining) and rich … more Folk art is a fascinating way to uniquely decorate your home, add inspiration, conversational interest (especially during entertaining) and rich cultural depth, combined with distinct decorative elements of texture, unusual form, space, bold vibrant color, and much more.

We're proud to present this vintage hand carved and painted wooden bull folk art sculpture with beautiful original patina, dating to the first half of the 20th century, Latin America, Central America, Guatemala. circa 1940s

An attractive and whimsical hand-carved solid wood sculpture, rustic primitive style, depicted in stylized cow bull form. The expressive mask presents with head slightly raised and tilted, mouth ajar with large oversized teeth exposed, almond-shaped eyes, narrow cheeks, incise detailed wrinkled forehead above a pair of leather shaped ears. Featuring massive, long horns protruding staight out to the sides, nicely chamfered showing visible tool marks as the artisan tapered it to a point. Mounted standing, resting atop a single board rustic plank base, rising on four legs, with conforming narrow elongated pancaked two humped cow body, ending in a long shaped wooden tail.

Original layers of yellow, red, white and black pigment paint decorate this charming zoomorphic creature adorned in alternating black and white contrasting dots over solid ground. In Guatemala animals have been regarded as sacred in some religious practices and throughout ancient mythology, as well as a main source of symbolism.

Provenance:
Acquisition: A reputable high-end auction house with locations along the east coast and Dallas, Texas; from a well curated, private Greenwich, Connecticut estate. Additionally procured a similarly styled menagerie of animals, Latin American origin, from the same CT estate.

Dimensions: (approx)
9.75" High, 15.5" Wide, 14.5" Deep
Platform base: 10" Wide, 3.5" Deep

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We've acquired a remarkable collection of decorative folk art with rich, interesting character and vast, historical depth. Offering collectible decor in the form of wonderful, one-of-a-kind works from around the world, including Mexican, Spanish Colonial, French, Italian, other European, Asian, African tribal and Aboriginal Oceanic peoples (the headhunter tribes); from rare antique to mid-century, fanciful animalistic statues to ceramic gothic Renaissance skulls, tribal warfare, architectural salvaged buildings elements to important religious relics, please be sure to search our other listings for the perfect long term investment decorative object. less