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29 - Andean Colonial School (Peru or Upper Peru). 18th century.

Estimate €4,000 - €6,000
Sale commission
Description
Andean Colonial School (Peru or Upper Peru). 18th century. “Crucified Christ with Praying Figure and Llama” Sculptural group in carved and polychromed wood with mirror and silver appliqués. 83 x 40 x 20 cm. Magnificent and highly interesting devotional sculptural group carved and polychromed in wood, dominated by the figure of the Crucified Christ on a green-painted cross, raised upon an elaborate architectural pedestal that is itself a remarkable work of carved wood. The structure is enriched with mirror and silver appliqués, as well as a small silver filigree relief depicting a llama, alongside popular ornamental motifs. At the foot of the cross appear two figures of particular iconographic interest: a llama and a kneeling male figure in an attitude of prayer. The presence of the llama is highly unusual within European Christian imagery and directly evokes the Andean cultural sphere, where this animal played a fundamental role in the economic, social, and symbolic life of Indigenous communities. The praying figure, depicted wearing a broad-brimmed hat and local attire, appears to represent a devotee, donor, or Christianized Indigenous individual incorporated into the composition. This iconographic device was relatively common in certain forms of colonial Latin American art, where worshippers could be portrayed alongside sacred images as an expression of devotion and patronage. The work also features noteworthy silver ornamentation, including several decorative filigree elements, a technique deeply rooted in the Andean viceregal territories. The stepped base and the distinctive decoration of the pedestal further reinforce its connection to the popular artistic production of Peru or Upper Peru during the eighteenth century. Beyond its sculptural quality, the piece constitutes a remarkable example of the process of encounter and synthesis between Indigenous traditions and the Christian iconography introduced during the colonial period. The incorporation of elements drawn from the Andean world into a Christian devotional programme makes this work a valuable testimony to the complex cultural reality of the Viceroyalty of Peru. Although the precise identity of the kneeling figure remains open to further study, the combined presence of the Crucified Christ, the praying figure, and the llama appears to respond to an iconographic programme conceived specifically for the Andean context, a circumstance that endows the work with particular historical and ethnographic significance.
About the sale Dialogues with the Past: Vestigia
Auction location
Auction time 07/02/2026 at 7:00 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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