Huaco with stirrup handle; Moche culture, Peru, 400-700

Huaco with stirrup handle; Moche culture, Peru, AD 400-700.
Polychrome ceramic.
Thermoluminescence attached.
It has restorations on fracture lines and repainting.
Provenance: private collection, Spain.
Measurements: 29 x 15 x 12 cm.
Huaco with stirrup handle and recipient with the shape of a male head, a portrait that represents a person of great social relevance in the Moche culture. This could be the image of a warrior or high dignitary, which can be deduced from the representation of the ceremonial headdress, the disc earrings and the facial tattoos. The modelling of the piece has been carried out with great realism, which can be seen in the details of the face, of which the bichrome of the eyes stands out. It should be noted that the play of colours, not only in the eyes but in the whole piece, is a characteristic that makes for a highly expressive and richly ornamental image.
The Moche culture, located on the northern coast of Peru, developed in the valleys of Lambayeque, Chicama, Moche and Viru, between AD 1 and 800. This region is characterised by a desert crossed by several watercourses, which flow into an ocean particularly rich in marine resources. The Moche artisans produced masterpieces in ceramics, weaving and gold and silver work. Their characteristic style encompasses the most diverse materials, such as pyro-engraved gourds, mural painting, feather art, and body painting and tattooing. The pottery decoration demonstrates a mastery of pottery making rarely surpassed, using the techniques of incising, bas-relief stamping and painting on smooth surfaces. A significant proportion of these objects were made in specialised workshops controlled by the state, in which mass-produced pieces were made using moulds. These vessels not only display a wide variety of shapes and decorative styles, but also bear depictions of myths and rituals. Among the ceramic forms that stand out are the so-called "portrait bottles" or vessels in which the face of an important figure in society is portrayed. The characteristic facial features, the use of face paint or tattoos and the use of complicated headdresses can be seen in great detail. This "portrait" capacity of Moche pottery can also be seen in the depictions of possibly everyday scenes or erotic scenes, as well as in the effigies showing hunchbacks, blind people, cleft lips and other illnesses.