A Massive Shipibo-Conibo Vessel Ucayali River, a southern tributary of the Upper Amazon, Peru, c. mid-20th century Hand built earthenware with paints in dark orange and brown on a cream-colored ground. The jar is made and painted by women of the tribe. They are used for the fermentation of a locally made alcoholic beverage. The surface is mostly covered with intricate geometric designs that reflect Shipibo-Conibo cosmology. They believe that in the distant past the designs, known as kené, covered everything in the world. But that ideal world fractured, and the patterns now only appear on select art objects including their pottery. The design used by each woman is unique, inspired by her dreams and visions. Through the use of ayahuasca, a powerful hallucinogenic plant medicine, male shamans can also visualize the patterns, which they use in healing sessions. However, men do not traditionally create physical representations of the designs. Please note this is massive at a height of 28 inches and a diameter of 37 ½ inches. Provenance: A Private Collection, New York, NY acquired in 1988 Merrin Gallery, New York, NY Sotheby's New York, November 21, 1988, lot 44 Diameter: 37 ½ inches HID03101062020 © 2024 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved

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