Stirrup Spout Vessel in Form of a Man Laying on a Bird
100 BCE–500 CE
Medium
Ceramic and pigment
Dimensions
21.6 × 17.2 cm (8 1/2 × 6 3/4 in.)
Classification
earthenware
Department
Arts of the Americas
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
91604
Art Historical Context
This remarkable Stirrup Spout Vessel the Form of a Man Laying on a Bird hails from the Moche culture of ancient Peru, crafted between 100 BCE and 500 CE. Made of earthenware ceramic with added pigments, it measures 21.6 × 17.2 cm and exemplifies the Moche's extraordinary pottery skills. The vessel's distinctive stirrup spout—a double-chambered handle resembling a horse's stirrup—allowed for practical use in pouring liquids without spilling, while doubling as a canvas for storytelling. Moche artists were master ceramicists, producing some of the most realistic and narrative-driven pottery in p...
About the Artist
Moche
The Moche artists flourished between approximately 100 and 800 CE along the northern coast of Peru, in valleys such as Moche, Chicama, and Virú, creating a profound body of work in ceramics, metalwork, and monumental architecture that defined their stratified society. Centered around sites like Huaca del Sol and Huaca de la Luna near modern Trujillo, these anonymous artisans operated in specialize...