Lot 151A
Pre-Columbian, Central Coast Peru, Huari culture, ca. 700-1000 CE. Striking wood mask with dark leather-like patination. Huari imagery has not been studied enough; hence it is difficult to decipher the precise meaning or identity of this image. It may represent a living person of rank, an honorary portrayal of a deceased person used to accompany a mummy bundle, or an ancestor. Ancestor veneration would become a significant part of Inca religious practice and was most likely important to earlier cultures as well. The wide-eyed expression is similar to visages depicted on Huari ceramic vessels. The Huari culture began to develop during the late Moche era. The Huari culture, centered on a capital to the south of Moche territory in the central highlands of Peru, rose as the Moche culture fell apart and before the Chimu asserted themselves on the north coast. They had extensive contact with other regions in the Andes, most notably the Tiahuanaco in present-day Bolivia, and the Nazca and the Pachacamac on the south and central coast of Peru. Hence there is no homogenous Huari style. Instead we see a wide range of visual expressions in their wood carvings and ceramics. Custom, museum quality stand included. 10"L x 7"W at widest point x 3-1/4"D
Provenance: Ex-Rosenthal Collection, New York, collected 1950s-1960s.
All items in this auction are legal to buy/sell under U.S. statute covering cultural patrimony per United States Code 2600, CHAPTER 14 -- CONVENTION ON CULTURAL PROPERTY, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
- Condition: Normal surface wear. Sculptor worked with natural form and contours of the wood. Intact and excellent.
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| From: | To: | Increments: |
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| $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 |