PARACAS CERAMICS
Paracas ceramics, associated to the elaborate mummy bundles excavated in the Paracas peninsula, consist of polychromed vessels that are painted with a mixture of resin and pigment after firing. Incised outlines (incised before firing) separate flat areas of color.
A bowl in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago depicts the Paracas Oculate Being, painted with this post-fire painting technique. Looking at it closely, you can see that there are incised lines that define the shape of this figure and its main features: the large eyes, smiling mouth with an extended form that appears to be a tongue, and the pendant nose. There are also long shapes that radiate from the figure’s circular head. After the vessel was fired and hardened, the Paracas artist added the color with a flat application of resin-based paint, keeping the incised lines as outlines for those shapes.
Paracas, South Coast of Peru.. Bowl with Anthropomorphic Figure. 650 BCE-150 BCE. 4.1x13.3 cm. Ceramic and pigment. Art Institute of Chicago, reference number 1963.873.
Topara Gourd Bottle, South Coast of Peru. 2nd century B.C.–A.D. 1st century. 14.6 × 16.5 cm. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Accession Number: 63.232.55.
Another tradition of ceramics in this region is called Topará. Topará ceramics are often monochromatic (they do not have colorful decorations). They are covered with a slip (diluted clay), usually orange, and they are burnished so they have a smooth surface. A typical Topará ceramic vessel has a chamber modeled into a representation of a gourd, topped by two spouts connected by a bridge. However, some of these Topará vessels can be modeled into animal forms as well. The example seen below, from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, is a great example of this style.