Peruvian art

Peruvian arthas its origin in theAndean civilizations.Thesecivilizationsrose in the territory of modernPerubefore thearrival of the Spanish.

Pre-Columbian art

Main article:Pre-Columbian art

A detail of theRaimondi Stela.This stela was found out of its original placement at the ceremonial complex, Chavín de Huantar. It was cited byPablo Picassoas an inspiration for his art.

Peru's earliest artwork came from theCupisniqueculture, which was concentrated on the Pacific coast, and the Chavín culture, which was largely north ofLimabetween the Andean mountain ranges of the Cordillera Negra and the Cordillera Blanca. Decorative work from this era, approximately the 9th century BCE, was symbolic and religious in nature. The artists worked with gold, silver andceramicsto create a variety of sculpture and relief carvings. These civilizations were also known for theirarchitectureand wood sculpture.

Between the 9th century BC and the 2nd century CE, theParacasCavernas and Paracas Necropolis cultures developed on the south coast of Peru. Paracas Cavernas produced complex polychrome and monochrome ceramics with religious representations. Burials from the Paracas Necropolis also yieldedcomplex textiles,many produced with sophisticated geometric patterns.

The 3rd century BCE saw the flowering of the urban culture,Moche,in theLambayequeregion. TheMochica cultureproduced impressive architectural works, such as theHuacas del Sol y de la Lunaand theHuaca RajadaofSipan.They were expert atcultivation in terracesandhydraulic engineeringand produced original ceramics, textiles, pictorial and sculptural works.

Another urban culture, theWari civilization,flourished between the 8th and 12th centuries inAyacucho.Their centralized town planning was extended to other areas, such asPachacamac,CajamarquillaandWari Willka.

Between the 9th and 13th centuries CE, the military urbanTiwanakuempire rose by the borders ofLake Titicaca.Centered around a city of the same name in modern-day Bolivia, the Tiwanaku introduced stone architecture and sculpture of a monumental type. These works ofarchitectureand art were made possible by the Tiwanaku's developingbronze,which enabled them to make the necessary tools.

Urban architecture reached a new height between the 14th and 15th centuries in theChimú Culture.The Chimú built the city ofChan Chanin the valley of the Moche river, inLa Libertad.TheChimúwere skilledgoldsmithsand created remarkable works ofhydraulic engineering.

TheInca Civilization,which united Peru under its hegemony in the centuries immediately preceding the Spanish conquest, incorporated into their own works a great part of the cultural legacy of the civilizations which preceded it. Important relics of their artwork and architecture can be seen in cities likeCusco,architectural remains likeSacsahuamanandMachu Picchuand stone pavements that unitedCuscowith the rest of theInca Empire.

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  Nazca mantle fromParacasNecropolis,1-100 CE This is a "double fish" (probably sharks) design,Brooklyn Museum
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  MocheNarigueradepicting the Decapitator (Ayapec, Ai Apaec), gold with turquoise andchrysocollainlays, c. 200–850 CE, Museo Oro del Peru, Lima
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  A view ofMachu Picchu,Incan architecture, c. 1450 CE
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  Textile doll (11th century),Chancay culture,found nearLima,Walters Art Museum.Of their small size, dolls are frequently found in ancient Peruvian tombs.

Colonial art

Peruviansculptureandpaintingbegan to define themselves from theateliersfounded bymonks,who were strongly influenced by the SevillianBaroque School.In this context, the stalls of theCathedralchoir, the fountain of the Main Square ofLimaboth byPedro de Noguera,and a great part of the colonial production were registered. The first center of art established by the Spanish was theCuzco Schoolthat taughtQuechuaartists European painting styles.Diego Quispe Tito(1611–1681) was one of the first members of the Cuzco school andMarcos Zapata(1710–1773) was one of the last.

Painting of this time reflected a synthesis of European and indigenous influences, as is evident in the portrait of prisoner Atahualpa, byD. de Moraor in the canvases of the ItaliansMateo Pérez de AlesioandAngelino Medoro,the SpaniardsFrancisco BejaranoandJ. de Illescasand the CreoleJ. Rodriguez.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, theBaroqueStyle also dominated the field ofplastic arts.

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  Virgin of Carmel Saving Souls in Purgatory,Circle ofDiego Quispe Tito,17th century, collection of theBrooklyn Museum
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  The Marriage of Captain Martin de Loyola to Beatriz Ñusta,c. 1675–1690, Church of la Compañía de Jesús, Cuzco
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  Our Lady of Bethelem,anonymous, 18th century
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  Archangel Uriel,anonymous, 18th century, featuring anÁngel arcabucero
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  Preserved colonial wall painting of 1802 depicting Hell,by Tadeo Escalante, inside the Church of San Juan Bautista inHuaro(Peru)
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  Stalls of theCathedralchoir, Pedro de Noguera

The image of Mary in Our Lady of Bethlehem hosts a lot of European styling and representations of the Western Mary. She is elevated from the ground, and is wearing a crown and has the faint image of a circular halo behind her head. She is being presented as cherubic figures pull back drapery, as if she is being "showcased." Surrounding her are small cherubic heads, often referred to as "puti's" in Southern American culture. They represent the innocence of children and act as a nod to her maternity and Jesus. She is dresses in obvious western, high-culture garments - highly adorned. Even the infant Christ is portrayed in western apparel.

19th century

Idle Woman(Perezosa) byDaniel Hernández Morillo

In the 19th century,French neoclassicandromantic currentses inL. Montero,Ignacio Merino,Daniel Hernández MorilloandFrancisco Masias.

Modern and contemporary

Indigenous movement

The establishment of theFine Arts School of Lima(1919) had a decisive influence on Peruvian sculpture and painting.

Insculpture,some of the most remarkable artists includeLuis Agurto,L. Valdettaro,Joaquin Roca Rey,J. Piqueras,Alberto Guzmán,Victor DelfínandF. Sánchez.Among the painters,Daniel Hernández,R. Grau,Cesar Quispez AsinandJose Sabogalare particularly notable. Sabogal headed the indigenous movement, which was one of the main influences on Peruvian contemporary painting. Among the most notable painters in the indigenous movement wasJulia Codesido.Some of the most widely recognized painters areFernando de Szyszlo,Alberto Davila,Armando Villegas,Sabino Springett,Bernardo Rivero,J. Alberto Tello Montalvo,Victor Humareda,M. A. Cuadros,Ángel Chávez,Milner Cajahuaringa,Arturo Kubotta,Venancio Shinki,Alberto Quintanilla (wiki Es),G. Chávez,Tilsa Tsuchiya,David Herskowitz,Óscar Allain,Carlos Revilla,Sérvulo GutiérrezandAmilcar Salomon Zorrilla (Peru).

In the field of photography,Martín Chambimade major contributions.

Martín Chambiphoto a man atMachu Picchu,published inInca Land. Explorations in the Highlands of Peru,1922

Contemporary Art

Teresa Burgawas a multimedia artist that works with conceptual art since the 60s and 70s. She was a pioneer in media art, art and technology and installation art in Peru. She was one of the most important non-objectualist artists of those decades in Peru.

InsculptureCristina Gálvezwas one of the most influential artists and art educators. In the 1980s after the art festival Contacta 1979 the groupHuaycowas created by Charo Noriega, Mariella Zevallos, Maria Luy, Armando Williams, Herbert Rodriguez and Juan Javier Salazar. This group appropriated the means of production and iconography of popular aesthetics. Within the history of Contemporary Art in Peru the Third Biennial of Trujilo in 1990 played an important role.This biennial included local artists as well as artists from neighboring countries.Jorge Eduardo EielsonandJorge Piqueraswere among the exhibiting artists that returned to Peru from Europe to participate within this biennial. It was the last biennial in Trujillo. In 1992 the artist Jaime Higa presented an exhibition at The Museum of Italian Art in Lima curated by Gustavo Buntinx.The 80s were marked by the civil war and artists responded to the political situation. Among these artists areEduardo Tokeshi,Ricardo Wiesse and Alfredo Marquez. Later on in 1997 the First Ibero American Biennial was produced in Lima directed by Luis Lama. This biennial allowed for the exchange of ideas and a wider exposure for Peruvian artists. A memorable moment within this biennial was the unexpected performance byElena Tejada-Herrera,which became an milestone within the history of Peruvian performance art. In 1999 Tejada-Herrera was awarded the first prize in the contest Passport for and Artist with a performance for which she hired street sellers performing on the streets of Lima. Another milestone in the history of contemporary Peruvian art is the Travestite Museum created by the philosopher and drag queen Giussepe Campuzano in 2003.

Folk art

Chulucanaspottery originates in thePiura Region.Inspired by pre-Incan ceramics, the bold, graphic pottery is now exported all over the world.Designs are varied, but are predominated by black and white. There are several bigger companies but a lot of small manufactures are in Chulucanas itself and in the nearby villages of Quatro Esquinas.

TheAyacucho Regionis known for itsretablos,or devotional paintings.San Pedro de Cajasin Ayacucho produces collectible looms. Cusco artistans createstuffed animalsanddolls.Cochas-Huancayois known for itsgourd art.

Folk art (specifically dance, music, and costume) is preserved at theCentro Qosqo de Arte Nativoin Cusco, which is recognized as the first folk institution of all of Peru.

Further reading

• Americas Society, Art Gallery.Potosí: Colonial Treasures and the Bolivian City of Silver.New York 1997.
• Banco Crédito del Peru.Colección arte y tesoros del Perú: Escultura en el Perú.Lima 1999.
• Banco Crédito del Peru.Colección arte y tesoros del Perú: Pintura en el Virreinato del Perú.Lima 2001.
• Banco Crédito del Peru.Colección arte y tesoros del Perú: Pintura mural en el sur andino.Lima 1999.
• Banco Crédito del Peru.Colección arte y tesoros del Perú: Pintura virreynal.Lima 1973.
• Benavente Velarde.Historia del arte cusqueño: Pintores cusqueños de la colonia.Cuzco 1995.
• Castedo, Leopoldo.The Cuzco Circle.New York 1976.
• Cummins, Thomas B.F.Toasts with the Inca: Andean Abstraction and Colonial Images on Quero Vessels.Ann Arbor 2002.
• Damian, Carol.The Virgin of the Andes: Art and Ritual in Colonial Cuzco.Miami Beach 1995.
• Dean, Carolyn.Inka Bodies and the Body of Christ: Corpus Christi in Colonial Cuzco, Peru.Durham: Duke University Press 1999.
• Kennedy, Alexandra, ed.Arte de la Real Audiencia de Quito, siglos XVII-XIX.Quito 2002.
• Museo del Arte de Lima.Art in Peru: works from the Collection of the Museo de Arte de Lima.Lima 2000.
• Navarro, José Gabriel.El arte en la provincia de Quito.Mexico City 1960.
• Palmer, Gabrielle G.Sculpture in the Kingdom of Quito.Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press 1987.
• Urton, Gary.Signs of the Inka Khipu.Austin: University of Texas Press 2003.
• Wethey, Harold E.Colonial Architecture and Sculpture in Peru.Cambridge MA 1949.

See also

• List of Peruvian artists
• Latin American art

External links

• Ancient Peruvian ceramics: the Nathan Cummings collection by Alan R. Sawyer,an exhibition catalog from The Metropolitan Museum of Art (fully available online as PDF), which contains material on Peruvian art