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Oculate Being Mask
✓ Authenticity guarantee · ✓ Specialist condition report · ✓ Insured worldwide shipping · ✓ Private-room viewing
This rare mask incarnates a supernatural being who may have been the patron of an early fertility cult on Peru’s south coast. Its traits insinuate power, especially the stuck-out tongue and the serpents that slither over the face to form a halo-like corona. Unexplained are the shape of the nose and the small figure wearing a similar mask. The mask could have served as the face of a mummy bundle or an object; the projecting eyes might rule out use by a living performer.
| Artist / Maker | Anonymous, Paracas (Cavernas) style (700 BCE–1 CE) |
|---|---|
| Date | 300 BCE–1 CE (thermoluminescence date, 835 BC–185 CE) |
| Culture / Origin | Peru, South Coast, Paracas (Cavernas) style (700 BCE–1 CE) |
| Medium | ceramic, resin-based paint |
| Dimensions | Overall: 23.6 x 22.5 x 13.2 cm (9 5/16 x 8 7/8 x 5 3/16 in.) |
| Department | Art of the Americas |
| Type | Ceramic |
About the Artist
Provenance & Source
Image & data: Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 / Public Domain.
Condition
A detailed condition report and high-resolution photography are available from our specialists in advance of the sale.
Shipping & Collection
Fine-art shipping with climate control and full insurance to over 120 countries; collection by appointment.
Buying at Matchless Pieces
Register, verify your identity, and bid online or in a private room. Buyer’s premium and taxes are shown before you confirm.
