Inca Pottery Stirrup Vessel with Llama & Monkey Motifs

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Pre-Columbian | Tribal | Oceanic

By Artemis Gallery

Mar 18, 2021

Set Reminder 2021-03-18 10:00:00 2021-03-18 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : Pre-Columbian | Tribal | Oceanic https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/pre-columbian-tribal-oceanic-6520
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• Lot Description
  Pre-Columbian, Peru, Inca, ca. 1470 to 1532 CE. An exemplary pottery vessel showcasing a circular base, a cylindrical body, a flat top, and a unique stirrup spout with a cuboid arch and a cylindrical upper spout. The elongated body of a llama is coiled around that shoulder of the ancient vessel, covered in a black-painted lattice motif representative of woven fabric and hinting at the Inca's rich textile traditions. The beast of burden features an extended snout tied with a rope, delineated nostrils, heavy-lidded, coffee-bean shaped eyes, and a pair of round ears. A series of incised striations adorns the animal's back, likely intended as a rib cage. Resting his head on his tail, the llama's positioning is reminiscent of the ouroboros; the ancient image of a snake or dragon eating its own tail, which symbolizes eternal cyclic renewal. The legs of the creature fall down the walls of the vessel, resting alongside a black-painted abstract pattern, while a sun-like design adorns the top of this beautiful dish. A petite monkey can be seen beside the upper stirrup spout; a popular motif in Inca stirrup vessels. Size: 5.125" in diameter x 9.25" H (13 cm x 23.5 cm)
  
  Stirrup spout vessels were the predominant ceramic form throughout the Pre-Columbian Peruvian region from the earliest cultures beginning around 1000 BCE until the conquest of the Inca in the 15th century. These vessels were often used for ritualistic purposes and buried with the deceased. The iconography of the llama is significant, for the Inca did not have horses or cows, so llamas provided the Inca with wool, food, and a way to transport goods. Although they were not worshiped, llamas were integral to their folklore and the Inca believed that llamas could talk.
  
  Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection; ex-private T. Misenhimer collection, Beverly Hills, California, USA, acquired from 1970 to 2008
  
  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.
  
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  #161458

  Condition

  Collection labels on base. Repaired from several pieces with restoration over break lines. Area on upper back of llama has been restored with new material. A few light scratches throughout. Otherwise, excellent with impressive remaining pigments and lovely earthen deposits in recessed areas.
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