The Institute of Fine Arts presents
"Castilla del Oro" and the Regional Evolution and Dissemination of Ancient Indigenous Metallurgic Iconography in the Isthmo-Colombian Area
Dr. Orlando Hernández Ying (Hispanic Society Museum & Library)
Tuesday, February 7, 2023
In-person and via Zoom
This event is offered both in-person and online and an RSVP is required. To register for in-person attendance, click here. To register for virtual attendance, click here.
“Castilla del Oro” was the name that Spanish settlers gave to the Central American territories from the gulf of Urabá in Colombia to the Belén River, in present-day Panamá. Stylistic similarities in the gold-copper casting along the Caribbean coasts of Colombia, Panamá, and Costa Rica, as well as in the West Indies, shed light on the seafaring vocation of Amerindian societies. This re-contextualization of the subject matter allows us to infer that the dissemination of the technical aspects of metallurgy traveled intimately intertwined with iconographic traditions that evidence traces of a pan-regional cultural exchange of cosmological ideas. This research aims at recreating the visual language and symbolism of these gold ornaments as they evolve and disseminate throughout the Isthmo-Colombian Area. Examples from the collection in the Michael C. Rockefeller Wing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art provide a unique opportunity to compare firsthand these enigmatic ornaments from the various cultures that inhabited the region.
The program will be presented onsite at the James B. Duke House and live-streamed by Zoom as well. Zoom details will be available upon registration for virtual attendees. All in-person attendees must be in compliance with NYU's COVID-19 vaccination requirements (fully vaccinated and boosted, once eligible and by NYU's deadline) and be prepared to present proof of compliance. Please review the University's COVID guidelines in advance of your visit.