173 - Seated dog with erect ears

Seated dog with erect ears Polychrome terracotta, broken, re-glued, and restored. Mochica III–IV, Peru, 300–500 CE 22 x 17 cm Provenance: Former Mythes et Légendes Gallery, Paris. Certificate by Mr. Michel Cohen dated December 17, 1977. In Mochica iconography from the northern coast of Peru, the spotted dog is the faithful companion of Ai Apaec, the principal deity, whom he accompanies on his journeys between the worlds: it appears at his side in numerous mythical scenes and serves as a guide for souls to the afterlife. This psychopompic role explains the presence of its effigy in burials, where these vases with stirrup handles accompanied the deceased. The animal is depicted sitting, with its muzzle pointed forward and ears pricked up, in an alert posture that brings the piece to life. The large brown patches on the cream-colored coat and the sharp definition of the eyes and nose lend it a striking sense of realism, while the deep-red stirrup handle rises elegantly above the hindquarters. Documentary reference: Museo Larco, Lima, ceremonial vase depicting a dog, Mochica style, inv. ML008085.