A glimpse into the ancient art of PERU

Non-European art seldom gets to be on view in local galleries. That’s quite understandable because owing to years under colonial rule, we have largely been exposed to Western art.

While the West has produced a great number of fine art masterpieces, numerous cultures outside mainstream European history have likewise done so. These flourished in China, Japan, India, and Africa, to name a few.

In pre-Columbian Central and South America, highly cultured peoples erected great stone temple complexes. They were also skilled in the art forms of weaving and pottery, the products of which show a keen understanding of the decorative qualities of abstract design.

Through the Embassy of Peru, headed by Ambassador Julio Cardenas, local art lovers now have a rare opportunity to see some of examples of pre-Columbian art, specifically those produced during the pre-Inca period.

Discovering the Mystery of Ancient Peru: An Exhibition of Peruvian Artifacts is ongoing at the Tall Galleries of the Metropolitan Museum of Manila, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Complex, Roxas Blvd., Manila.

The exhibit includes 45 pieces representing the native cultures of Peru that thrived sometime between 1600 B.C. and 1470 AD

The viewer is ushered into pre-Columbian Peruvian art via the Chavin, a culture that traces its beginnings to a cult named after its ceremonial center Chavin de Huantar, a town located in a small valley in Ancash in the northern Peruvian highlands.

Chavin artifacts are the fitting introduction to the exhibit as archaeologists acknowledge that these are one of the key factors in understanding the culture of ancient Peru.

The first piece that comes to view is a head of a deity with large eyes. This depiction of a mythical creature features intricate decorative detailing and polished finish, showing that a high level of craftsmanship already existed among artists of the period. Aside from mythology, nature was also a rich source of inspiration. Examples of these are a bottle shaped as a sea shell and another in the form of a monkey. Embellishments on most of the Chavin pieces on display were done by way of etching and surface relief. One recurring motif in Chavin art is that of the jaguar god which to these people symbolized strength and agility.

One detail that became popular in vessels produced during the period was the stirrup spout that continued to be employed in ceramic ware until the arrival of the Spaniards.

In stark contrast with the realism and restrained color of pottery done in northern Peru, Nazca ceramics are awash with color, stylized designs and have a brilliant finish. Two bottles in the exhibit exemplify these characteristics.

The Nazca potters’ color palette include white, orange, black, red, orange, gray and purple and judging from the look of the objects on exhibit, these were applied before the firing process.

Another prominent feature of Nazca ceramic vessels are double spouts connected with bridges. Images that adorn Nazca ceramics are in the shape of geometric forms, avian and riverine motifs. A bottle with a bridged handle and two spikes painted with birds and a double-decked coned bottle whose base is decorated with shrimp engravings illustrate the prevalence of such motifs.

Probably the best known of art objects by ancient Peruvians were produced by the Moche and these are considered among the finest pre-Columbian achievements.

The Moche was a militaristic society that held sway in the northern Peruvian coast. This culture produced pottery dominated by sculptural realism and narrative drawing.

In the exhibit, these qualities are evident in a sculpture of a head effigy. Almost realistic in its depiction, the face also expresses a human emotion. Other vessels show decorative scenes with stylized lines depicting warriors, prisoners, as well as everyday scenes like a fisherman with a net of shrimps and a mother nursing her child. The Moche also produced erotic pottery, a number of which are included in the exhibit.

Moche pottery are predominantly flat bottomed, their stirrup spouts more slender, elongated and elegant than those in Chavin vessels.

While Nazca pottery is easily identifiable through its generous use of color, those of the Chimu can be distinguished through their characteristic black color. This is a result of almost smothering the flame thus reducing the oxygen in kilns. The Chimu objects feature molded relief decorations and surfaces polished to a silver-like finish. The interesting Chimu items on display include a sculpture of a dog nursing four puppies and the small monkey that clings to vessel spouts.

While Discovering the Mystery of Ancient Peru mostly featured pottery pieces, these were enough to showcase that ancient Peruvian artists had a full grasp of fusing form and function. Far from being crude, the pieces show that they are truly sophisticated in their presentation of conceptual, stylized, abstract and naturalistic images.

The exhibit is indeed welcome and whetted our appetite for more. For aside from the fabulous pieces brought in for the exhibition, ancient Peruvian cultures have more to show. As earlier stated, they were also well-versed in other artistic undertakings. The Moche for instance are well-known for their fabulous gold and silver jewelry and the Nazca were highly skilled in metalcraft. All of the above-mentioned civilizations built beautiful stone temple complexes adorned with elaborate reliefs, murals and sculptures. Of these the Raimondi stone carving come to mind. Named after its discoverer, the Raimondi stone is a six-foot green diorite sculpture of a Chavin deity with a headdress consisting of a series of faces, each emerging from the one above it. The sculpture also features reptilian and feline inspired elements.

Perhaps it would be quite impossible to have a sculpture of such size and value transported for exhibition across the Pacific, nonetheless we do look forward to seeing more pre-Columbian art from Peru. Hopefully, the art of the Incas the next time around.