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Lot Essay
We are grateful to Mr. Ariel Zúñiga for his assistance in confirming the authenticity of this work.
Although Zúñiga made countless bronzes, the instances of stone sculpture in marble or onyx are much rarer and truly awe inspiring as they demonstrate the master's deft hand and mastery of the female form. The Seated Juchiteca--the image of a local Juchiteca woman sitting or squatting and gazing out into the distance--is a familiar motif in Zúñiga's production, but this work executed in 1979 is the artist's first stone work produced in Carrara marble. Zúñiga traveled to Italy to work with master stonecutters in the making of this work. And while the lineage of the stone-cutters conjured images of the great classical sculptures and monuments, Zúñiga worried that they would not understand his unique vision or approach to his subject matter. Indeed the craftsmen were well-versed in what Zúñiga referred to as the "little angles of the Renaissance style" he was less sure they could grasp his particular brand of naturalism that far from idealizing his sitters conveys the passage of time and the female form in all its plenitude and strength. Indeed the present work like much of Zúñiga's production depicts a robust woman whose face, hands and body reveal a lifetime of experience and maturity. Her steady pose denotes grace, confidence, and wisdom. She possesses at once the gravitas and character of the individual sitter, while simultaneously conveying the grandeur, humility and dignity of her people.
Although Zúñiga made countless bronzes, the instances of stone sculpture in marble or onyx are much rarer and truly awe inspiring as they demonstrate the master's deft hand and mastery of the female form. The Seated Juchiteca--the image of a local Juchiteca woman sitting or squatting and gazing out into the distance--is a familiar motif in Zúñiga's production, but this work executed in 1979 is the artist's first stone work produced in Carrara marble. Zúñiga traveled to Italy to work with master stonecutters in the making of this work. And while the lineage of the stone-cutters conjured images of the great classical sculptures and monuments, Zúñiga worried that they would not understand his unique vision or approach to his subject matter. Indeed the craftsmen were well-versed in what Zúñiga referred to as the "little angles of the Renaissance style" he was less sure they could grasp his particular brand of naturalism that far from idealizing his sitters conveys the passage of time and the female form in all its plenitude and strength. Indeed the present work like much of Zúñiga's production depicts a robust woman whose face, hands and body reveal a lifetime of experience and maturity. Her steady pose denotes grace, confidence, and wisdom. She possesses at once the gravitas and character of the individual sitter, while simultaneously conveying the grandeur, humility and dignity of her people.