Items Similar to Rare Aztec Colonial Polychromed Wood Sculpture! Holy Imagene Bultos Santos Icons

Antique Spanish Colonial Hispano-Philippine Carved Polychrome Santo Altar Figure

Religious Polychrome Santos Wood Carving

Antique Spanish-Colonial Santo

Spanish Colonial Polychrome Nino

19th Century Spanish Colonial Santos Shrine With Gilt Wood

Want more images or videos?

Request additional images or videos from the seller

1 of 11

Rare Aztec Colonial Polychromed Wood Sculpture! Holy Imagene Bultos Santos Icons

About the Item

MUSEUM PERFECTION ! AZTEC INFLUENCED LATIN AMERICAN COLONIAL ART AMAZINGLY 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 America to promote Christian evangelization. The works that emerge from this period are great historic treasures and tell us much about this time in history. Icons were important in this conversion process. Here is an Imagene that was likely 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 the most important reason is that this piece illustrates 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 featured these feathers were incomparable. The Spanish art instructors adopted feathers into traditional Catholic imagery and this piece shows the result of such hybrid. Here feathers are prominently sculpted into the background and were polychromed with sensational hues to reflect the native love and cultural appreciation for 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 and garments made of feathers - and here these saints appear to be wearing feather headdresses! Even after centuries, the colors of this piece are incredibly compelling. Fragments of the rich blue green pigment that was applied to mimic the hummingbird feathers 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 are depicted 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 pigmentation is 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. Historic Aztec Colonial Period Art For Your Priceless Collection !

Dimensions:
Height: 8 in (20.32 cm)Width: 14 in (35.56 cm)Depth: 2.5 in (6.35 cm)
Style:
Spanish Colonial (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Wood,Polychromed
Place of Origin:
Mexico
Period:
17th Century
Date of Manufacture:
17th century
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use.
Seller Location:
Peoria, AZ
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU9080237267322

More From This Seller

View All

Rare! Mid Century Spanish Colonial Revival Candelabra Dark Wood

Located in Peoria, AZ

Romantic! Spanish Candelabra Gothic Revival Dark Wood Approximate Dimensions: 15" tall by 11" wide by 5.5" deep This beautiful pair make the perf...

Category

Mid-20th Century Spanish Spanish Colonial Candle Sconces

Materials

Wood

Rare! Mid Century Spanish Colonial Revival Candelabra Dark Wood

$1,440 Sale Price / set

20% Off

Incan Sun God Vessel. Terracotta Inti Pre-Columbian Historic Art Sculpture Peru

Located in Peoria, AZ

STUNNING! PRE-COLUMBIAN INCAN CEREMONIAL SUN GOD VESSEL! CIRCA AD 1300-1500 TWO REPRESENTATIONS OF INCAN SUN GOD INTI (also known as Apu-punchau) DIMENSIONS: Approximately 12-1/2 " TALL by 4-1/2" WIDE This is the Holy Grail of Incan Pre-Columbian vessels. Here is an incredibly significant Incan Pre-Columbian terracotta ceremonial vessel with two depictions of INTI, the Incan Sun God on each side of the vessel with incredible details and beautifully preserved. Finding an Incan vessel with the depiction of Inti is quite rare. These were reserved for important ceremonial functions such as Inti Raymi - the festival in honor of the Sun God. What makes this one even more special is that the depiction of the Sun God nicely matches a 17th century document...

Category

Antique 15th Century and Earlier Peruvian Pre-Columbian Historical Memor...

Materials

Terracotta

Incan Sun God Vessel. Terracotta Inti Pre-Columbian Historic Art Sculpture Peru

$48,000 Sale Price

36% Off

Rare Acoma Polychromed Geometric Painting! Sky City Abstract Art Tapestry

By Acoma

Located in Peoria, AZ

"SKY CITY" ACOMA ABSTRACT ART POLYCHROMED TAPESTRY! CIRCA 1900-1930 Framed Behind Glass Extremely Rare! DIMENSIONS: Approximately 40" By 20" Framed In the dry and lonely desert ...

Category

Early 20th Century American Native American Native American Objects

Materials

Canvas

Rare Acoma Polychromed Geometric Painting! Sky City Abstract Art Tapestry

$5,000 Sale Price

60% Off

Brutalist Direct Metal Bull Sculpture Yahweh, Gilt Polychroming Stock Market

Located in Peoria, AZ

Rare! Brutalist Bull Sculpture Depicting Archaic Deity Yahweh Gilt Polychroming Verso base "Yahweh" This fascinating sculpture is done in a simple, primitive style, looking like...

Category

Late 20th Century Brutalist Animal Sculptures

Materials

Metal, Enamel

Brutalist Direct Metal Bull Sculpture Yahweh, Gilt Polychroming Stock Market

$1,596 Sale Price

38% Off

Brutalist Polychromed Copper Direct Metal Horse Sculpture! Monumental 33" wide!

Located in Peoria, AZ

Monumental! Brutalist Hand-Gilded Direct Metal Horse Sculpture 33" Wide 17" Tall Perfect for a centerpiece or on a credenza! This magnificent horse sculpture captures a horse ...

Category

Late 20th Century American Brutalist Animal Sculptures

Materials

Copper, Enamel

Brutalist Polychromed Copper Direct Metal Horse Sculpture! Monumental 33" wide!

$880 Sale Price

20% Off

Bronze Patinated Polychromed Buddhist Lion Incense Burner! Tongshi Sculpture Art

Located in Peoria, AZ

MAGNIFICENT! BRONZE LION INCENSE BURNER! EXTREMELY RARE! APPROXIMATE DIMENSIONS: 7" Tall x 7" Wide Well cast, standing on all four legs (very rare pose!) while twisting its sin...

Category

20th Century Chinese Ming Sculptures and Carvings

Materials

Bronze

Bronze Patinated Polychromed Buddhist Lion Incense Burner! Tongshi Sculpture Art

$4,400 Sale Price

48% Off

Antique Early 19th Century Philippine Spanish Colonial Religious Items

Materials

Wood, Paint

Antique Spanish Colonial Hispano-Philippine Carved Polychrome Santo Altar Figure

$850

Religious Polychrome Santos Wood Carving

Located in San Diego, CA

An early polychrome religious santos carving, circa 1800s. The piece is hand carved in a soft wood with original paint and polychrome finish on a wood...

Category

Antique 19th Century Spanish Primitive Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Softwood

Religious Polychrome Santos Wood Carving

$760 Sale Price

20% Off

Antique Spanish-Colonial Santo

Located in Atlanta, GA

An very well weathered Spanish-colonial Santo, likely depicting St Michael or St Miguel. Carved from the wood, the statue displays historical loss on both limbs and also the wings on...

Category

Antique Late 18th Century Mexican Spanish Colonial Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Wood

Antique Spanish-Colonial Santo

$3,500

Spanish Colonial Polychrome Nino

Located in Los Angeles, CA

El Niño Jesús (Baby Jesus) Guatemala, Spanish Colonial Period (17th–18th century) Wood, gesso, polychrome, and glass eyes This expressive sculpture of the Christ Child was crafted i...

Category

Antique 19th Century Guatemalan Spanish Colonial Religious Items

Materials

Wood, Glass, Gesso

Spanish Colonial Polychrome Nino

$4,900

Spanish Colonial Polychrome Nino

Located in Los Angeles, CA

An exquisite Spanish Colonial carved wooden figure of the Infant Jesus ("Niño Jesús"), from Guatemala. This devotional figure is finely detailed with a lifelike expression, large bro...

Category

Antique 19th Century Guatemalan Spanish Colonial Religious Items

Materials

Gesso, Glass, Wood, Paint

Spanish Colonial Polychrome Nino

$3,300

19th Century Spanish Colonial Santos Shrine With Gilt Wood

Located in Stamford, CT

19th century Spanish Colonial shrine for a Santos or statue of the Virgin Mary in the form of a church likely from New Mexico. Topped with three crosses with traces of gilding, two c...

Category