Curriculum Materials: Amazing Animals in
Art
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Image 2 Peru, Nazca Essays: Questions: |
Bridge-spout vessel in the form of a fish
This vessel in the form of a fish was probably made for a tomb or for ceremonial purposes. It has a double bridge-spout handle a distinctive feature of Nazca pottery. While the vessel's specific function is not known, its double spout would facilitate the pouring of liquids, while the bridge handle would be practical for tying onto packs carried by animals, or, if it were larger, for hand carrying. Because of the small size of this vessel, however, a utilitarian function seems unlikely.
Renowned for their POLYCHROME decoration, Nazca ceramics display the greatest chromatic range of all the ancient New World ceramics. This vessel features a variety of COLORS orange and red-browns, mauve, white, black, and gray. Using warm earth colors and bold black lines, the artist achieves an effect of both tranquility and dynamism.
The artist has skillfully combined TWO- and THREE-DIMENSIONAL means to represent a fish. Made with smooth contours and rounded forms, the figure has an inflated, swollen appearance suggesting fertility and abundance. The fins are represented by small modeled protuberances that project from the back, sides, and lower surface of the fish. Painting on the vessel's surface delineates other features and creates a bold LINEAR design. The viewer is engaged by the large round eyes, the smaller circles representing nostrils below them, and the strangely bared teeth, a menacing touch to this seemingly benign creature. The short, quick lines repeated on the upper part evoke the fish's scales and animate the surface with a lively PATTERN. The fan-shaped bands radiating from the sides of the mouth represent the gills, emphasized perhaps for their essential function in the breathing process. The bold horizontal stripes on the vessel's sides may refer to the distinct designs on certain types of fish, such as the striped bass. The stripes may even represent the lateral line, a sensory structure that runs along a fish's body and detects vibrations. The lines intersect with a CHEVRON form on the fish's tail, suggesting the tail's dynamic force in helping the fish to swim and producing a striking decorative effect.
Whatever the significance of these elements to the Nazca culture, it is clear that this artist observed the natural world and drew upon the rich colors, forms, and patterns found in nature. This sculpture expresses the vital spirit of the fish and its importance to the Nazca peopleónot only as a dietary staple and a source of nourishment, but also as a symbol that was integral to the mythology, religion, ceremonies, and rituals of a community.
This vessel is cracked around the head area and broken at the tail. Its condition is a reminder of its ancient history and also of the paradoxical nature of pottery. Despite its fragile quality, pottery is extremely enduring, offering tantalizing clues to archaeologists and attesting to the life of ancient cultures. Though we do not know the origins of this vessel, its generally well-preserved condition suggests that it came from a protected area such as a tomb.
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