Nayarit

Nayarit was a pre-Columbian culture from western Mexico, active from roughly 200 BCE to 500 CE. Like their neighbors in Colima and Jalisco, Nayarit artists created expressive ceramic figures placed in deep shaft-and-chamber tombs that could reach 10 to 15 meters underground. Their style is distinct: rugged, heavily adorned figures with severe expressions, painted with bold patterns representing clothing and body decoration.

Nayarit ceramics depict the full range of human activity. Warriors, ball players, lovers, mothers with children, dancers, and musicians all appear in lively, sometimes humorous compositions. The figures have a raw, expressionistic quality that sets them apart from the smoother Colima style. Our collection includes 8 works at the Art Institute of Chicago.