RARE 17TH CENTURY AZTEC LATIN AMERICAN ART! HOLY IMAGENE BULTOS SANTOS SCULPTURE

 

    MUSEUM  PERFECTION !     AZTEC  INFLUENCEDLATIN  AMERICANCOLONIAL  ARTAMAZINGLY  RARE  PIECE !Approx. 14" x 8" x 2 1/2"After Hernán Cortés conquered the Aztec empire, painting and sculpture schools were set up within missions to produce art for Roman Catholic worship in Spanish Americato promote Christian evangelization.  The works that emerge from this period aregreat historic treasures and tell us much about this time in history.Here is an Imagene that was employed in a church from the 17th century. It features 5 elaborately carved faces and figures depicting angels and saints. This piece is magnificent for many reasons, but one that is most important is how this piece shows the bridge between the Spanish and Aztec art schools. The Aztecs had developed the most splendid feather art in the world.  Feather mosaics (arte plumario in Spanish, amantecayotl in Nahuatl), were created by specially trained and talented Aztec nobles.  The blue green iridescent color of hummingbird feathers had made them a regular form of tribute to Aztec rulers and art that featuredthese feathers were incomparable. The Spanish art instructors adopted feathers into traditional Catholic imageryand this piece shows the result of such hybrid.  Here feathers are prominently sculpted into the background and were polychromed withsensational hues to reflect the native love and cultural appreciationfor feather art.  Few feather mosaics survive because of their temporal frailty, but the wood worked feathers in this piece give scholars and collectors a lasting indication of how Aztecs stylistically used the feathers in their pieces. Aztec religious leaders wore headdresses andgarments made of feathers - and here these saints appear to be wearing feather headdresses!Even after centuries, the colors of this piece are incredibly compelling. Fragmentsof the rich blue green pigment that was applied to mimic the hummingbirdfeathers are still present. The golds, yellows and browns display spectacular understanding of complementary colors.What's more this piece also shows Aztec sun imagery incorporated into the design!On the reverse side of the Saints' faces we see a vivid blue sun burst type design which clearly was an Aztec motif of the period and has no comparable counterpart in Catholic holy treasures. Altogether three sunbursts images aredepicted on this work.  In all likelihood this work was sculpted by a Spanish taught artisan and then painted by an Aztec schooled artist. The painting on the reverse shows Aztec line work, patterns and coloring.This work is in amazing condition for its age and has been preserved by the arid climate of the southwestern region.  The polychroming and pigmentationis still quite visible and is mute testimony to the skills of these talented 17th century artisans and their pigments. The breathtaking quality of this elaborate work indicates it was likely part of a devotional setting in a mission or in the home of a wealthy/important figure and is a rich part of the cultural patrimony of the Latin American region. As an educational tool to see the Aztec symbols, motifs and painting adapted in this new Spanish dominated culture is something extremely important to historians.  The conquistadors' bringing peoples into the fold required creating continuity and adapting their own worship objects into the traditional Catholic imagery.  This work will make the centerpiece of your prized collection.We will entertain offers on this incomparable, historic Latin American art.Historic Latin American ArtFor Your Priceless Collection !  _____________________________________________________All text, images and descriptions Copyright GALLERY 20TH. 2023. All Rights Reserved.Unauthorized usage in whole or part, including  Ebay listings, is strictly prohibited.______________________________________________________