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Breastplate in the form of a jaguar - man

tolima - middle period: Colombian artist known for unique anthropo-zoomorphic breastplates from the Magdalena Valley's fossil finds (tatacoa desert). Explore ancient miocene fauna.

Giclée / Art Print

Museum-quality giclée or canvas print with fast production and flexible finish options. (Buy Hand Made Painting Buy Hand Made PaintingBuy Image Buy Image)

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Total Price

$ 63

reproduction

Breastplate in the form of a jaguar - man

Giclée / Art Print

Reproduction Size

-

Total Price

$ 63

Collectible Description

This large chest plate was manufactured by a skilled goldsmith with the technique of lost wax casting in a tumbaga –gold and copper alloy– in reddish colour due to the high copper content. The design of the fretwork on the body and the headdress of the figure were finely cut out in the wax before the metal pouring took place.The piece exhibits an imposing antropozoomorphic figure with the lower limbs extended sideways, in a schematic style; the symmetry emphasises the straight lines and balance of the proportions. It probably personifies a jaguar-man, as suggested by the fretworks on the body which seem to depict the spots on the skin, the prominent mouth showing his teeth and the spread out posture of the body as if lying on his abdomen. The face, looking human, presents two longitudinal bands of face paint crossing the eyes.The cultural affiliation of this chest plate has always been problematic for the archaeologists because it combines elements of the Tolima style goldwork of the mid valley of the Magdalena and the Quimbaya one of the Early period in the Mid Cauca. The shape of the figure clearly belongs to the first style, while the manufacturing technique refers to the second one. The piece was found at the beginning of the XX century by treasure hunters in a tomb in an elite cemetery in the mountains of the Quindío, on the Colombian Central Mountain Range, in the Mid Cauca region. MAU

Artist Biography

The Golden Legacy of the Middle Magdalena Valley

To speak of the Tolima - Middle Period is to evoke the shimmering, sun-drenched echoes of an ancient Colombian civilization. Unlike the singular biography of a modern master, this era represents a collective artistic soul—a period of profound craftsmanship emerging from the fertile intermontane basin of the Middle Magdalena Valley. This was a time when the skilled goldsmiths and artisans of the Tolima culture transformed raw earth and precious metals into spiritual vessels. Their work, characterized by an extraordinary mastery of tumbaga—a sophisticated alloy of gold and copper—serves as a breathtaking window into a world where the boundaries between the human, the animal, and the divine were beautifully blurred.

The artistry of this period is defined by its mesmerizing anthropozoomorphic nature. The creators did not merely decorate; they transmuted. Through the intricate technique of lost-wax casting, they breathed life into figures that merged the features of men with those of powerful predators and celestial beings. One might encounter a massive breastplate where the fierce, stylized visage of a jaguar-man emerges from a sea of delicate fretwork, or delicate earring pendants shaped like the wings of a bat. These were not mere ornaments but potent symbols of status and spiritual protection, designed to resonate with the cosmic rhythms of the Andean landscape.

Technique and the Alchemy of Tumbaga

The technical prowess displayed during this middle period remains a marvel of pre-Columbian achievement. The artisans possessed an intimate understanding of metallurgy, utilizing the reddish hue of high-copper alloys to create a sense of warmth and vitality in their sculptures. Their process was one of extreme patience and precision:

  • The Lost-Wax Method: A complex ritual of creation where intricate designs were meticulously carved into wax, which was then encased in clay to create a mold for the molten metal.
  • Fine Fretwork: The ability to cut delicate, geometric patterns into the metal, allowing light to dance through the ornaments and emphasize the symmetry of the figures.
  • Symbolic Proportion: A deliberate use of scale and schematic lines to convey power, where the weight of a chest plate or the balance of a pendant communicated the wearer's connection to the natural world.

This era of production was not merely about aesthetic beauty but about the preservation of a cultural narrative. Every curve of a funerary chair and every glint of a gold figure told a story of lineage, myth, and the deep connection between the people of the Magdalena Valley and the fauna that inhabited their lush, tropical environment. The historical significance of these works lies in their ability to bridge the gap between the prehistoric past and the modern observer, offering a silent, golden testimony to a civilization that mastered the art of the eternal.

Quick Facts

  • Artistic Movement Or Style: Boterismo
  • Artists Or Movements Influenced By This Artist: ['Cubism']
  • Artists Who Influenced This Artist: ['Pablo Picasso']
  • Date Of Birth: 1932
  • Full Name: Fernando Botero
  • Nationality: Colombian
  • Notable Artworks:
    • The Bullfighter
    • Woman with Parasol
  • Place Of Birth: Bogotá, Colombia
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