Pair of Ornamental Plaques, Bolivia (Upper Peru), 17th century
Silver in its natural color, cast, repoussé, and chased
55 × 35 cm
These oval silver plaques display an exuberant horror vacui decoration organized around a central oval cartouche bearing the Christogram JHS, emblem of the Society of Jesus, surmounted by a cross and accompanied by the instruments of the Passion. The composition is framed by dense vegetal scrolls, sunflowers, grape clusters, and fantastical birds, while the lower section features the Andean “foliage woman,” a syncretic motif symbolizing abundance. The rich naturalistic ornamentation, pronounced relief, and undulating outline—formed by birds, fruits, and cornucopias—illustrate the technical mastery of Andean silversmiths and reflect a sacramental iconography linked to the Eucharist and Counter Reformation devotion.
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