Click image to view full screen
Shell with Inlaid Feline
✓ Authenticity guarantee · ✓ Specialist condition report · ✓ Insured worldwide shipping · ✓ Private-room viewing
This ornament is made of a spondylus shell, from which the exterior surface has been carved away to reveal a layer of bright orange. The pampas cat inlaid on the surface in multicolored shell and stone has bean-shaped spots on his body, and grasps a gold gourd or fruit. In both Paracas and Nasca art, the small, non-domesticated pampas cat is strongly associated with beans and other crops. Perhaps it was thought to guard the fields from rodents and other pests.
| Artist / Maker | Peru, South Coast, Nasca |
|---|---|
| Date | 100 BCE–700 CE |
| Culture / Origin | Peru, South Coast, Nasca |
| Medium | Spondylus shell with shell, stone, and gold inlay |
| Dimensions | Overall: 7.5 x 7.4 cm (2 15/16 x 2 15/16 in.) |
| Department | Art of the Americas |
| Type | Jewelry |
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.
