Lot 162
Pre-Columbian, Colombia, Quimbaya, ca. 1200 to 1400 CE. A remarkable cast tumbaga statuette depicting a seated lord or shaman sitting upon a four-legged stool. This piece is entirely in the round, and the treatment of gold or tumbaga in such completely three-dimensional terms is unusual in the ancient Americas. Though nude (with delineated genitalia), he is elaborately decorated with a grand crown adorned by four orb-shaped ornaments (possibly representing hallucinogenic mushrooms) atop a tiered, rounded pedestal with a base demarcated by a beaded square border upon his head, large coiled ear ornaments, a nose ring, a multi-stranded pectoral, beaded armlets and leg bands. His rather large head presents a focused or perhaps entranced visage with closed coffee bean shaped eyes, a naturalistic nose, and full pursed lips. He holds matching ritualistic staffs or implements, each with four spiraled finials in his hands. Note the sculptor's expert skill in delineating the seated form and capturing wonderful details such as those meticulously delineated fingers and toes and intricately described regalia. The gold ornaments of the Quimbaya - generally made through the lost-wax casting of tumbaga, utilizing beeswax - are incredible works of art, driving Spanish explorers to believe that El Dorado lived in the jungles of this area. Size: 2.125" W x 6.125" H (5.4 cm x 15.6 cm); Weight: 228.5 grams
From the earliest times, people in the Andes had a tradition of using coca leaves for ritual purposes. They were often ingested by placing some of the leaves in the mouth and adding a small quantity of powdered lime, ground from seashells. The poporo was a special vessel made to hold the lime. Gold decoration was associated with the highest ranked male members of Andean society, emphasizing this depiction as that of a lord. This poporo was made to be owned by someone powerful in the society and probably placed to provision an elite man's tomb.
This item has been analyzed using X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) by SGS Tecnos, Madrid, Spain. The lab conducted three tests, presumably of different areas of the piece. The tumbaga is composed of approximately: 75% Cu, 21.2% Au, 3.2% Ag, and .6% Fe. A copy of the results will accompany this piece.
Provenance: private Spanish collection acquired in the 1980's
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#122621
- Condition: Missing the pin which would have fit into the center of the crown. There are several casting flaws evident in the crown, stool, back, and legs. Surface wear with losses to gilding on the copper core as shown.
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