Lot 49B
Pre-Columbian, north coast of Peru, Chavin culture, ca. 900 to 200 BCE. A large and stunning Chavin jar with a haunting face on its lower body. The form is unusual, with a rounded lower body with a sharply flanged shoulder, a dramatically corseted neck, and a magnificent flaring rim that extends outward further than the body. The base has been hand-shaped so that one side has a menacing, anthropomorphic face with pointed teeth, sunken piercing eyes, and added pink and white pigments that give an impression of tattoos or scarification. The shoulder has a thin red line up from the center of the face's forehead; it is surrounded by incised, straight lines that look like hair sharply parted down the middle. The top rim is decorated with a continuous serpentine design with incised eyes that peer our from the interior of each band. Size: 10" W x 5.65" H (25.4 cm x 14.4 cm)
The Chavin people lived in the northern Highland Andes, and their capital, Chavin de Huantar, is an UNESCO World Heritage Site. The artwork of Chavin represents the first widespread style in the Andes, inspirational to later cultures, especially the Moche. What is the meaning of this face? Disembodied heads are a theme in pre-Columbian indigenous Andean art, leading many to believe that they correspond to the taking of trophy heads from enemies. Recently, however, some evidence has emerged that, for the Chavin, they may have represented sacred offerings. For example, excavations from the Chavin period revealed ritualized burials of skulls belonging to males, females, and children, interred with fruit and ceramics. This is in strong contrast to the older, nearby archaeological site of Cerro Sechin, where disembodied skulls all belonged to males, and nearby artwork showed dripping entrails and other body parts. For the Chavin, a face like this may have been a gift to the gods rather than a trophy of war.
Provenance: ex private Danish collection, exhibited at the Danish Museum of Art
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.
#102094
- Condition: Repaired and restored from six or seven large pieces, expertly done, so that it is almost impossible to tell that it is has been repaired. Very nice remaining pigment.
Accepted Forms of Payment:
Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Shipping
Auction House will ship, at Buyer's expense
Artemis Fine Arts
You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 24.5% and any applicable taxes and shipping.
View full terms and conditions
| 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 | $2,000 |
| $50,000 | $99,999 | $5,000 |
| $100,000 | $199,999 | $10,000 |
| $200,000 + | $25,000 |