Pre-Columbian, northern Peru, late Moche, ca 800 CE. Truly larger than any Moche portrait head we have ever had the honor of handling, a superb and enormous bichrome portrait head presenting an expressive visage comprised of wide open, inset eyes, a pronounced, curved nose with openwork nostrils, a well-defined, protruding mouth with each tooth individually delineated, and carefully modeled facial planes and contours - even the philtrum (vertical groove running from nasal septum to upper lip) is defined. Moche effigy pottery was usually created with moulds; however, each piece was individually and uniquely refined with hand tools and decorated using slips of red, cream, and brown hues. Given his elaborate phenotype with facial tattoos/paint, huge earspools, and an impressive helmet/headdress adorned with a rich variety of stylized geometric motifs, all hand-painted in red on a cream ground, the subject portrayed here was most likely a revered warrior or leader. Perhaps the best known Moche vessels are veristic portrait stirrup-spouted jars, and scholars believe the Moche to be perhaps the only ancient culture in the Americas that produced such vessels. The Moche depicted real people, and furthermore, it has been possible to follow the progression of age and rank of several renowned individuals portrayed at different times of their lives in pottery. One particular face, easily identified because of his cut lip, appears in more than forty Moche pottery vessels. What is remarkable about this piece, however, is that it is not a vessel, but rather a sculptural portrait head with a closed bottom, most likely intended to stand on its own as a monument to the deceased. A jaw-dropping example that has been deemed ancient via thermoluminescence testing. Size: 12.5" L x 15" W x 13.75" H (31.8 cm x 38.1 cm x 34.9 cm)

Provenance: Ex-Private Spanish collection acquired in the 1980's; comes with TL report from QED Laboratoire, Aix-en-Provence

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#118051

Repaired from four to six large pieces. Surface wear with abrasions and chips as shown. Nice manganese deposits.