Lot 128A
Pre-Columbian, Central Andes, Huari (Wari) culture, Middle Horizon, ca. 600 to 1000 CE. A visually commanding figural stirrup-spout vessel from the Huari culture of ancient Peru, this painted ceramic jar takes the form of a bust-length male figure rendered with remarkable stylization and symmetry. The vessel's neck doubles as the figure's extended head, crowned by a conical hat encircled with broad, painted stripes in white, red, and black - a palette that dominates the rest of the surface. The face is incised in relief and boldly outlined, with almond-shaped eyes, prominent black brows, and linear face paint that streams down like tears. The lips are reduced to a thin horizontal bar, a motif echoed in other Huari portraits, likely representing elite status or ceremonial solemnity. The broad shoulders of the jar curve outward into a rounded belly, painted with concentric arcs in cream pigment - likely a stylized representation of layered garments or ceremonial adornments. Size: 4.8" Diameter x 6.9" H (12.2 cm x 17.5 cm)
The figure's arms are depicted flat against the body, ending in oversized hands with exaggerated fingers and delineated nail beds. The handle, positioned at the back of the vessel, arches gracefully from the shoulder to the hat, reinforcing the sculptural form while allowing functional use.
This type of figural vessel is characteristic of Huari ceramic traditions, which favored complex iconography, bold geometric abstraction, and anthropomorphic symbolism. The stylization and expressive reduction of human features align with Wari aesthetic ideals that would influence later Andean polities, including the Inca. Such vessels may have been used in ritual libations or burials and could represent elite individuals, ancestors, or deities. A powerful testament to the Huari's ceramic ingenuity and their penchant for transforming everyday vessels into ideologically charged portraits.
Provenance: Collection of Y. Kayvan, Los Angeles, California, USA, acquired from a Los Angeles, California, USA gallery acquisition dates range from the late 1990s to 2005
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#195992
- Condition: Professionally repaired with restoration and repainting over break lines. Some minor marks and nicks in areas, but, otherwise, excellent presentation with good remaining pigments.
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