Chupicuaro Polychrome Vessel w/ Checkered Motif

Pre-Columbian, West Mexico, Guanajuato Valley, Chupicuaro, ca. 500 BCE to 300 CE. A tall, dark and handsome cylindrical vessel with an offset checkered motif painted across its exterior. This hand-built pottery vessel sits atop a round bottom and features steep, tapered walls and a slightly protruding lip. The exterior is a playfully loose linear motif including lax checkered planes separated by narrow meandering black lines. A very charming example! Lucite display stand for photography purposes only. Size: 6.5" W x 11" H (16.5 cm x 27.9 cm)

Chupicuaro society is well known for its sophisticated ceramic tradition featuring human effigies and food-service vessels of stunning aesthetic appeal such as this example. The feast was of utmost importance to supply food for the living as an integral part of social politics and to provide sustenance for the soul's journey to the underworld. Beyond being objects for daily use, Chupicuaro ceramics were artistic achievements in their own right - elegant forms with boldly painted decoration typically in their signature deep red. The wide variety of vessel forms created by the Chupicuaro artisans points to the significance of the feast.

Provenance: ex-Ashland University Museum, Ashland, Ohio, USA

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#165341
Condition Report: Abrasions to painted program scattered throughout. Minor nicks to surface. Fading to burnish on bottom with consequential encrustation. Otherwise, in good overall condition and fully intact.