A Moche Seated Chieftan Effigy Vessel, ca. 500 - 800 CE

A very fine effigy vessel in the form of a chieftan sitting cross-legged with his hands on his knees, wearing a plain red-brown tunic, white loincloth, and white hood underneath a wide headband with two snarling fox heads with three-dimensional ears along the front. The chieftan's face is decorated with two snake tattoos, winding down from the outer corners of his eyes and enveloping his mouth with their heads. A stirrup spout is attached to the back of the vessel. Foxes are often depicted as warriors in Moche art (Donnan and McClelland, 1999). The role of foxes in Moche religion may derive from their behavior in the natural world. Foxes hunt and capture small prey, much as warriors would fight and capture prisoners. Foxes also may be associated with the world of the dead, as they are primarily nocturnal and live in underground burrows. The fox would therefore be a very appropriate symbol of a warrior chieftan.

Medium: Clay, polychrome

Dimensions: Height: 8 3/4 inches (22.2 cm), Width: 5 inches (12.7 cm)

Condition: A probe hole in the base and a 1 1/2-inch area of inpainting on his left shoulder that does not detract. Some minor chipping on the spout rim and left tip of one fox’s ear restored. Otherwise intact and in excellent condition overall.

Provenance: Alan C. Lapiner to Veracruzana Inc. NYC in the 1960s, Edward H. Merrin Gallery, Inc., 1970s with old Merrin Gallery label affixed to the base, thereafter private NYC collection.