Picture Worlds
Greek, Maya, and Moche Pottery
September 14 - December 15, 2024
Among the many ancient cultures that produced painted pottery, the Greeks in the Mediterranean, the Maya in Central America, and the Moche of northern Peru stand out for their terracotta vessels enlivened with narrative imagery. Representing heroic adventures, divine encounters, and legendary events, these decorated ceramics provided a dynamic means of storytelling and social engagement.
By juxtaposing Greek, Maya, and Moche traditions, this exhibition invites conversation about the ways in which three unrelated cultures visualized their society, myths, and cosmos through their pottery. Who made and used these vessels? Which stories did they depict, and why? How did artists shape these accounts? Could images convey more than words? Each vessel displayed in this exhibition is a “picture world,” full of expressive possibility.
Organized by the J. Paul Getty Museum. Curated by David Saunders and Megan E. O’Neil.
Picture Worlds: Storytelling on Greek, Moche, and Maya Pottery
Edited by David Saunders and
Megan E. O’Neil
This abundantly illustrated volume is the first to explore the painted pottery of the ancient Greek, Moche, and Maya cultures side by side.
The publication is available for purchase at the Carlos Museum Bookshop. Email the Museum Bookshop directly to order your copy for mail or in-store pick-up.
Headline image: Mixing Bowl with Poseidon and Theseus, Greek, 480–470 BCE, Attributed to the Harrow Painter. Terracotta. Harvard Art Museums / Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Cambridge, MA. Bequest of David M. Robinson. Image: © Presidents and Fellows of Harvard College; Drinking Vessel with the Maize God and Other Supernaturals, Maya, 600–700 CE. Ceramic with polychrome slip. Princeton University Art Museum, New Jersey. Gift of Stephanie H. Bernheim and Leonard H. Bernheim Jr. in honor of Gillett G. Griffin, 2005-127. Photo by Justin Kerr. Justin Kerr Maya Archive, Dumbarton Oaks, Trustees for Harvard University, Washington, D.C.; Stirrup-Spout Vessel with a Presentation of Shells, Moche, 500–800 CE. Terracotta. Adapted from a photo by Museo Larco, Lima, Peru, ML013653. Design © 2024 J. Paul Getty Trust
