Description:

Pre-Columbian, Central Coast Peru, Chimu, ca. 1100 to 1470 CE. A charming pottery bowl of rounded form with a projecting head of a jaguar with relief legs at one end and his tail and hind legs also in relief at the other. A band of spiraling steppe motif on a stippled ground encircles the inward curving rim, while the feline's head displays huge eyes, a petite nose, and thick whiskers that envelop a snarling mouth of sharp teeth, all beneath a pair of perky, rounded ears. Liberal remains of white pigment additionally adorn the burnished redware surface. The iconography of this vessel is highly symbolic, as the jaguar symbolized power and might throughout the Pre-Columbian world. Warriors, rulers, hunters, and shamans alike associated themselves with this king of beasts, the largest and most powerful feline in the New World. Size: 7.2" L x 5.6" W x 5" H (18.3 cm x 14.2 cm x 12.7 cm)

The principal deity of the Moche, whose ceramics inspired subsequent Peruvian cultures including the Chimu/Inca, wears a headdress adorned with a jaguar head and paws and important mortals donned similar headdresses. A nocturnal animal, the jaguar sleeps in caves and dark places and creeps quietly in the forest, evoking great mystery.

Provenance: private Reinsmoen collection, Clear Lake, Iowa, acquired through descent from Robert Anderson, acquired prior to 2000

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#184635

  • Condition: Professionally repaired with some areas of restoration; all very well done and difficult to notice. Fire-darkening to underside of base and light surface wear as shown, but otherwise excellent presentation with good preservation of detail and liberal remains of white pigment. Earthen deposits to interior.

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March 17, 2024 9:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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