A Moche Seated Noble Effigy Vessel, Moche II, ca. 200 - 400 CE

A finely molded polychrome effigy vessel depicting a seated nobleman on a rectangular throne, executed in the established Moche repertoire of the Early–Middle Classic period. The figure is shown with legs crossed and hands resting on his knees, wearing a broad-rimmed headdress with side lappets and large ear spools. The face is carefully modeled and painted, the eyes and other features accented with black and white pigments, producing the lifelike, individualized effect characteristic of Moche portrait ceramics. The vessel employs a rear stirrup spout, which is a functional and typological hallmark of Moche ceramic technology.

Background: Moche potters were consummate specialists in mold-made and hand-modeled ceramics. The rear stirrup spout, seen here, reduced surface evaporation when the vessel contained liquids and facilitated efficient pouring.  It also became an aesthetic device, integrated with anthropomorphic and zoomorphic forms. The sitter’s regalia of headdress, lappets, and ear spools identifies him as a person of rank. Portrait vessels such as this are often interpreted as commemorative or funerary objects tied to elite identity, ritual performances, or ancestral veneration. The use of polychrome paint to emphasize facial features is typical of Moche portraiture of the Moche II phase. 

Medium: Clay, polychrome

Dimensions: Height: 6 3/4 in (17.1 cm); Width: 3 5/8 in (9.2 cm)

Condition: Spout reattached with restoration over the breaklines, small probe hole in the left side of the throne, otherwise intact and in very good condition overall. A very appealing example. 

Provenance: Private collection of a Connecticut attorney. Acquired from the New York trade in 2013 and previously in the collection of Dr. John E. Frost, Houston, TX.

QUESTIONS? Just click the Contact Us tab on your right.