Incised Painted Bowl with Leaf Motif
Unknown Artist
5th–2nd century BCE
Medium
Ceramic, pigment
Dimensions
H. 3 1/2 × Diam. 6 in. (8.9 × 15.2 cm)
Classification
Ceramics-Containers
Culture
Paracas
Department
Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Cummings, 1964
Accession Number
64.228.107
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate incised painted bowl, hailing from the Paracas culture of ancient Peru (5th–2nd century), exemplifies the sophisticated ceramic artistry of a society renowned for its textiles, mummification practices, and vibrant visual traditions. Crafted from ceramic with applied pigments, the bowl measures a modest 3½ inches high and 6 inches in diameter making it a practical yet beautifully adorned container likely used for food, liquids, or rituals. Its leaf motif, incised into the clay before firing and then highlighted with post-fired paints, evokes the natural world of Peru's coastal val...