Lot 83B
Pre-Columbian, south coast Peru, Huari (Wari) Culture, ca. 700 to 1000 CE. A polychrome terracotta whistling kero comprised of a tall tumbler-shaped drinking vessel (a kero, also qiru) at the rear, bridged to a front otter effigy vessel via a curved strap handle and a tubular connection at the lower end of both vessels. This otter has personality. Just look at that cute visage with its squinty eyes, perky ears, pointed nose, whiskers, and wide smile revealing sharp teeth. Notice also its paws delineated in low relief against the ovoid vessel. Adding to the appeal of this piece are the cream and black decorative motifs adorning the otter's chest and the upper section of the kero which was most likely used to consume chicha (corn beer), a practice enjoyed for hundreds of years before the Inca came to power. Size: 9.75" L x 8.375" H (24.8 cm x 21.3 cm)
The Huari people would have hunted mammals like seals and otters in the cold waters of the Pacific Ocean. This vessal suggests that they were astute observers of the natural world, as here the artist has captured the playful pose and nature of the otter.
Provenance: private Andrade collection, New York, New York, USA, acquired 1960's
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#131185
- Condition: Section of the otter's head/neck repaired and restored from 6-8 pieces. Patched probe hole and radiating fissures on tubular bridge connecting lower sections of vessels. Normal surface wear commensurate with age. Deliberate perforations through ears and openwork mouth for whistling effect.
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