Menu
EUR
CAD
AUD
GBP
MXN
HKD
CNY
MYR
SEK
SGD
CHF
THBMassive Moche Copper Panels Ai Apec Figure (8 pcs)
Lot 157a
About Seller
Artemis Gallery
686 S Taylor Ave, Ste 106
Louisville, CO 80027
United States
Selling antiquities, ancient and ethnographic art online since 1993, Artemis Gallery specializes in Classical Antiquities (Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Near Eastern), Asian, Pre-Columbian, African / Tribal / Oceanographic art. Our extensive inventory includes pottery, stone, metal, wood, glass and textil...Read more
Live Auction in Progress ... Currently on Lot Estimate:
$16,000 - $24,000
Absentee vs Live bid
Two ways to bid:
- Leave a max absentee bid and the platform will bid on your behalf up to your maximum bid during the live auction.
- Bid live during the auction and your bids will be submitted real-time to the auctioneer.
Bid Increments
| Price | Bid Increment |
|---|---|
| $0 | $25 |
| $300 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $100 |
| $2,000 | $250 |
| $5,000 | $500 |
| $10,000 | $1,000 |
| $20,000 | $2,500 |
| $50,000 | $5,000 |
| $100,000 | $10,000 |
| $200,000 | $20,000 |
About Auction
Live
By Artemis Gallery
Mar 24, 2022
Set Reminder
2022-03-24 10:00:00
2022-03-24 10:00:00
America/New_York
Bidsquare
Bidsquare : Exceptional Antiquities Ethnographic Fine Art
https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/exceptional-antiquities-ethnographic-fine-art-9057
Museum-worthy examples of classical antiquities (Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Near Eastern), Viking, Far East / Asian, Pre-Columbian, African / Tribal, Oceanic, Native American, Spanish Colonial, Fossils, Ancient Jewelry, Fine / Visual Arts, so much more! Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
Museum-worthy examples of classical antiquities (Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Near Eastern), Viking, Far East / Asian, Pre-Columbian, African / Tribal, Oceanic, Native American, Spanish Colonial, Fossils, Ancient Jewelry, Fine / Visual Arts, so much more! Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
View Full Catalog (416)
- Lot Description
Pre-Columbian, northern Peru, Moche culture, ca. 300 to 500 CE. This is a spectacular and rare copper depiction of the god Ai Apaec (also Ai Apec) as a near life-sized figure! This copper being is comprised of 9 separate pieces gathered and displayed on an acrylic panel. Each sheet was hammered and worked into a portion of the deity, his legs and arms splayed out at right angles, the body consists of a triangular waistcloth with applied sheets and repousse designs, fins, and a pectoral plate with repousse animals. The head contains bulging wing shaped eyes, lined with well-defined lids, the pupils cut out, perhaps for inserting precious stones. The pronounced hooked nose is pierced with a nose ornament, and his ears are covered with huge discs. The lower headdress panel has clawed paws that correspond to the 3-dimensional jaguar head above, mounted on an arching panel, and a pair of side fans. Throughout are rings with dangling discs ornaments. Size (head): 22" L x 15.5" W (55.9 cm x 39.4 cm); (acrylic display panel): 58.5" L x 0.25" W x 70" H (148.6 cm x 0.6 cm x 177.8 cm)
Ai Apaec is the primary Moche deity of creation, food, water, military victory and the most feared but respected of the wrathful gods- and sometimes referred to as the headsman or decapitator god! His iconography varies, but his ferocious nature was often depicted as a combination of human, aquatic, spider, and jaguar traits. Scholars posit that during human sacrifices, when prisoners were decapitated, their heads were presented as offerings to Ai Apaec. This ensemble may have covered a sarcophagus for an elite individual or as a funerary banner- the copper deity stitched to a woven textile. Using Ai Apaec as a funerary piece would mark the individual as a highly important or elite member of Moche society, as would the artistry, size, and extensive use of copper in this impressive figure!Tear and loss to nose ornament. Some losses to dangling discs with some missing. Tearing and perforation to pectoral and fins on waist. Heavy mineral and earthen deposits throughout; dangling discs have fused to the surface and no longer articulate. Overall excellent preservation. All pieces are custom-mounted a modern rectangular acyclic panel.Condition
- Shipping Info
-
All shipping is handled in-house for your convenience. Your invoice from Artemis Gallery will include shipping calculation instructions. If in doubt, please inquire BEFORE bidding for estimated shipping costs for individual items.
-
- Buyer's Premium
