Anthropomorphic Marble Mortar with a Face by Ernesto Canto Da Maya, 1800s

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Description

Description of the item:
a wonderful anthropomorphic mortar, shaped like the face of an old asian man, with a pestle … Read more Description of the item:
a wonderful anthropomorphic mortar, shaped like the face of an old asian man, with a pestle shaped like a fish, probably a carp, made of alabaster marble, dating back to the early decades of the 20th century, a unique piece of great artistic value. The object is signed under the base with a barely legible signature; an "e" and a "t" can be glimpsed in the first name, while the surname reads "canto." therefore, although the object appears to be a classic example of oriental antiques, it should also be noted that the signature is very similar to that of the artist ernesto canto da maya, who usually created sculptures in marble, plaster, bronze, ceramic, and terracotta, all depicting human subjects, or heads and busts, often slightly stylized and in a style very similar to that of our mortar. It could therefore easily be one of his early works, and even the patina of the object, which dates it to the early decades of the 1900s, is in line with the age of the artist, who was born in 1890 and died in 1981.

useful information for evaluating the item:
our research shows that ernesto canto da maya has achieved numerous auction results, with the top eight for the largest and most important sculptures ranging from €8,500 to €17,000, to which auction fees of 25-30% must be added, to give an idea of the value of this artist's sculptures. Obviously, ours is a small mortar and we cannot attribute it with certainty to this artist, but we are certainly talking about an item that could be very valuable.

information about the artist and/or manufacturer:
"canto da maya" refers to ernesto canto da maia, a portuguese sculptor (1890-1981) and leader of figurative modernism. His work was original and decorative, characterized by figures in terracotta, plaster, and other materials depicting busts, bas-reliefs, metaphorical figures, and anatomical expression. He was appreciated for his poetic vision and the originality of his sculptures, which included large groups as well as individual figures.


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