Description:

Pre-Columbian, North Coast Peru, Early Moche, ca. 300 to 150 BCE. A delightful bichrome stirrup vessel featuring a globular body hand-painted with fineline orange-on-cream decoration of abstract jaguars. The jaguar represented 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. The principal Moche god 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. Oddly enough, few Moche artists would have actually seen jaguars as they are not indigenous to the coast. Jaguars prefer moist forest conditions. However, scholars believe that some cubs were transported over the mountains for Moche rituals and it is also possible that some jaguars wandered down the coast. The mighty jaguar symbolizes ceremonial combat and the Moche's proficiency at warfare! Size: 6.5" W x 8.5" H (16.5 cm x 21.6 cm)

For a similar early Moche stirrup vessel, please see Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession number 64.228.7.

Provenance: private Ferndale, Michigan, USA collection; ex-private Detroit, Michigan, USA collection, acquired prior to 2004

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.

#182562

  • Condition: Professionally repaired with some restoration and repainting in areas; all done expertly and difficult to notice. Areas of fire-darkening and light surface wear commensurate with age as shown. Otherwise, excellent presentation with good preservation of detail.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa

Shipping

Auction House will ship, at Buyer's expense

January 18, 2024 8:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of up to 27.5% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $299 $25
$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $20,000