Flaring bowl (Florero)
ca. 450-550 AD
The interior rim of this beautiful vessel expresses a fine-line painting in reddish brown on cream that shows a frieze of four alternating mythical hunters. Two have lobster-claw arms, lobster tails, and segmented armor trimmed by crustacean legs. The other two figures are protected by large ferocious feline shields with crab claws emanating from the sides. Clusters of flora and fish occupy the field.
Ceramic and paint
9 1/2 x 17 1/8 in. diam. (24.1 x 43.5 cm)
Gift in honor of Assen Nicolov
2018.3.3
Provenance: Collection of Robert and Marianne Huber, New York; [Sotheby’s, New York, Pre-Columbian Art, Nov. 20, 1995, sale no. 6778, lot no. 11, reproduced]; purchased at auction by Assen and Christine Nicolov, Seattle, Washington; to Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, Washington, 2018
Photo: Elizabeth Mann