Description:

Pre-Columbian, Ecuador, Chorrera culture, ca. 9th to 2nd century BCE. An amusing terracotta vessel of fantastical form, featuring an abstract zoomorph resembling a fierce aquatic creature. Surmounted by a large, flared spout, the stylized animal presents a pointed snout with an open mouth exposing dozens of sharp teeth, a bulging pair of huge, annular eyes, and a tapered tail. Jagged spikes jut out from the snout and back, forming a crest, while petite fins emerge from the corner of each eye, as well as at each side, below the vertical raised stripes. Chorrera ceramics like this one often have well-finished surfaces; they represent a culture that spanned from the desert to the sea but had a fairly uniform artistic tradition. A wonderful example of Chorrera artistic expression and imagination! Size: 9.7" L x 5.9" W x 5.1" H (24.6 cm x 15 cm x 13 cm)

Provenance: private Charlotte collection, North Carolina, USA; ex-Arte Primitivo, New York City, New York, USA, July 30, 2007, lot 113; ex-private New Jersey, USA collection

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#176677

  • Condition: Professionally repaired with restoration in areas, as well as some minor nicks and abrasions, all commensurate with age. Otherwise, vessel has an excellent presentation with nice pigments.

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March 19, 2023 9:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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