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Lot Essay
The first century after the Spanish conquest marked a period of great artistic activity in the Americas. As part of the crown’s divinely-ordained mission, churches, convents and palaces were constructed throughout the region, and artistic centers were established to decorate the buildings and illuminate their ecclesiastical message. In the Viceroyalty of Peru, these enterprises were mostly undertaken by the indigenous population of artists and masons who became adept with these new imported traditions and styles (G. Bailey, “Eyeing the Other: The Indigenous Response,” Art of Colonial Latin America, 2005 pp. 77-79). La dinastia Inca presents a visual delineation of the ancient Incan dynasty, paying homage to the unique New World reality by combining classical European portraiture with venerated indigenous history.
The numerous extant paintings from the colonial era, depicting Peru’s pre-Columbian history and imperial genealogy, suggest that there was a sense of local pride in the indigenous past that persisted well after conquest. In the present lot, the fourteen Inca sovereigns are rendered in successive half-length portraits. Their formality and astonishing regalia presents them as monarchs of Cuzco from its supposed founding around the thirteenth century through the arrival of the Spanish. Manco Capac, the founder of the dynasty, stands firmly on the upper left against a partly cloudy sky, a golden staff in his hand suggesting his descent from the sun god, Inti. His consort, Mama Huaco, is rendered in the upper right, standing under an umbrella and holding a spool of wool. Both are the only full figures in the composition, implying their elevated status within the Inca society.
The rich history of weaving in the Andean regions is represented in the succession of kings, which are portrayed vested in brilliantly colored garments. Each king brandishes a shield, as they were not only royalty but also fierce warriors, and adorn woven caps embellished with a gold brooch and feather. Although rendered with similar characteristics, each king assumes a different pose which infers an individualized personality and civic role. The final two royals, Huascar and his half-brother Atahualpa—the last of the Inca dynasty who was executed by Francisco Pizarro—do not hold shields or staffs, perhaps alluding to their tragic deaths. Crowning the composition is a coat of arms or a royal shield depicting a llama or vicuña, a camelid native to the Andes and branches of a cinchona tree from which quinine is extracted. Snakes and bands in colors sacred to the Inca decorate the edges and line the portraits of this ornate composition with rich subdued meaning.
M. J. Aguilar, Ph.D.
The numerous extant paintings from the colonial era, depicting Peru’s pre-Columbian history and imperial genealogy, suggest that there was a sense of local pride in the indigenous past that persisted well after conquest. In the present lot, the fourteen Inca sovereigns are rendered in successive half-length portraits. Their formality and astonishing regalia presents them as monarchs of Cuzco from its supposed founding around the thirteenth century through the arrival of the Spanish. Manco Capac, the founder of the dynasty, stands firmly on the upper left against a partly cloudy sky, a golden staff in his hand suggesting his descent from the sun god, Inti. His consort, Mama Huaco, is rendered in the upper right, standing under an umbrella and holding a spool of wool. Both are the only full figures in the composition, implying their elevated status within the Inca society.
The rich history of weaving in the Andean regions is represented in the succession of kings, which are portrayed vested in brilliantly colored garments. Each king brandishes a shield, as they were not only royalty but also fierce warriors, and adorn woven caps embellished with a gold brooch and feather. Although rendered with similar characteristics, each king assumes a different pose which infers an individualized personality and civic role. The final two royals, Huascar and his half-brother Atahualpa—the last of the Inca dynasty who was executed by Francisco Pizarro—do not hold shields or staffs, perhaps alluding to their tragic deaths. Crowning the composition is a coat of arms or a royal shield depicting a llama or vicuña, a camelid native to the Andes and branches of a cinchona tree from which quinine is extracted. Snakes and bands in colors sacred to the Inca decorate the edges and line the portraits of this ornate composition with rich subdued meaning.
M. J. Aguilar, Ph.D.