Chancay pottery Cuchimilco female figure, Peru, circa 1100-1400 AD

Cuchimilco figures are solid unglazed terracotta representations of male and female divinities, decorated with pigment. They have distinctive large flat heads, often pierced at the top for attaching feathers, and hold their arms out as in the pose of offering a hug.

They come in different sizes and some can be over a meter high. Their exact function is unknown but they are found in tombs, often as male and female pairs, suggesting a link with fertility.  

Today Chancay is a small town north of Lima, but between 1000-1400 AD it was at the centre of a thriving civilisation which occupied the central coastal region of Peru. Its rich artistic production spanned from colourful textiles to a wide array of ceramic vessels and figurines.

Provenance:
Ex Romy Rey Collection, London.

21.5 cm high

Fabric Swatch: Baja in coin by Kelly Wearstler for Lee Jofa