Gold of Colombia. Art of ancient America


 

 

 

 

April 4th  – June 2nd 2014

 Single-Pillared Antechamber

 

 

The exhibition Gold of Colombia. Art of ancient America invites visitors to view the objects that have come out to us from pre-Hispanic world of art. Magnificent items produced by specialist artists, creators of vast universes of shapes, shines, colors and balanced rhythms. Objects made of gold, copper and alloys were used as means of manifesting power and rank and materializing cosmologies, and also as a privileged form of aesthetic expression. Ever since the Renaissance, pre-Hispanic art has been a source of admiration and inspiration for many western artists and scientists. The skills and expertise that were so evident in objects from the New Land of Gold astonished Albrecht Dürer in 16th century.    

 

 

Then I saw the things that had been brought for the King from the New Land of Gold... wonders of every kind... splendorous objects for the use of man, more beautiful than any fairytale. Never had I seen anything in all the days of my life that filled my heart with such joy as these things. Because amongst them I saw exquisitely worked treasures of strange art, and I marvelled at the subtle genius of those men from far-off lands. I cannot find sufficient words to describe the things I saw before my eyes.