Description:

Pre-Columbian, North Coast Peru, Moche III to IV, ca. 400 to 600 CE. A fabulous mold-formed ceramic vessel with a flat base, a globular body with a rounded shoulder, an arching, stirrup-shaped handle, and a cylindrical spout with a thin rim. The body of the vessel emulates the form of a human skull with recessed eye sockets, a bony nose bridge with exposed nostrils, pronounced cheek bones, a delineated mandible, a rounded chin, and a mouth full of teeth. The highly-burnished vessel has its handle and spout covered in russet-hued slip, though most of the body has its underlying buffware surface exposed. A charming yet macabre example of fine Moche artistry! Size: 4.625" W x 10" H (11.7 cm x 25.4 cm).

Provenance: private Southern California, USA collection, acquired in the 1970s to mid-1980s

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#142952

  • Condition: Light abrasions to body, base, handle, and spout, with light fading to original pigmentation, otherwise intact and very good. Light earthen deposits throughout.

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January 24, 2019 7:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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$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