*Vase étrier

It is unique in that its handle is formed by the arched body of a snake, the neck of which is decorated with stylised feathers. The body of the reptile is incised and decorated with red, orange and cream paint. On either side, the head and tail of the reptile rest on the globular body. The decoration on the body is organised in four registers, separated by bands of cream and orange. The main sides feature a bird of prey, an emblematic animal of Peruvian mythology. Its humanised body is represented from the front while its face is shown in profile. The sides describe the figure of the eagle, seen in profile. A scroll envelops the body of the mythical bird, and its shape could be interpreted as a stylized snake. Terra cotta with orange-red slip and incised cream decoration Chavin du Maranon, Peru, 700 - 200 BC 27.2 x 22.3 x 18.5 cm Provenance: - Former Bendicht Rudolf Wagner collection since 1958 - Mermoz Gallery, 2012 Between 1400 and 200 B.C., the Chavin culture developed in the central Andes (present-day Peru and Bolivia) and had a considerable influence on the Andean area. The archaeologist Julio César Tello was the first to carry out excavations at the site of Chavín de Huántar (1919), located at an altitude of 3185 metres, at the confluence of the Huacheqsa and Mosna rivers, which flow into the Marañón river (a tributary of the Amazon). The architectural remains and the numerous offerings found attest to the importance of this ceremonial centre, which has been described as a high place of pilgrimage. The art of Chavin is characterized by the representation of anthropozoomorphic beings recognizable by the features of the feline, present on all types of support and especially terracotta (from the vase with a stirrup handle to the bottle with a high neck). The production is characterized by a polychrome slip in brown and orange tones with cream paint and incised decoration. Although the site of Chavín de Huántar is located in an area crossed by rivers that constitute enclaves within the valleys, the terracotta was the ideal medium to convey its characteristic iconography to distant regions. The Marañón is a region crossed by the eponymous river which, together with the Ucayali River, forms the Amazon River. Thus, the influence of Chavin art has penetrated a vast territory, while forging its own style known as "Chavin of the Marañón". Good state of conservation *This lot is presented in temporary importation