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From May 5, 2017, to April 8, 2018
Meinrad Maria Grewenig | General Director
Frank Krämer | Project Director
Carole Fraresso | Museo Larco, Lima, Peru.
Scientific Curator
A Tribute. What other word could describe the exhibition "Inca. Gold. Power. God"? The journey offered at the World Cultural Heritage Völklinger Hütte highlights the clash of cultures and beautifully celebrates the prestigious Peruvian heritage.
For the inhabitants of pre-Columbian Peru, gold and silver were considered divine materials, opposing yet complementary, symbolizing the "sweat of the sun" (solar deity) and the "tears of the moon" (lunar deity), while the Spaniards only saw their material and economic value. The myth of El Dorado in South America originates from the divide between these two irreconcilable value systems. Following "IncaGold" (2004/2005), the World Cultural Heritage Völklinger Hütte revisits 3,000 years of history of the fascinating Peruvian civilization through a selection of 220 exquisite objects inherited from the Incas and their predecessors, culminating in their encounter with European culture in the 16th century.
In addition to exploring the beliefs and ritual universe of ancient Peruvian civilizations, the exhibition examines the Spanish conquest of South America by Francisco Pizarro, beginning in 1532. More than half of the items presented to the public are ceremonial objects and adornments made of gold, silver, and gilded copper, bequeathed by the pre-Incan societies of northern Peru: Chavin, Cupisnique, Vicus, Mochica, Lambayeque, Chimu, and Inca. The displayed works testify to a world filled with devotion where precious metals, with their dual symbolism of "Gold/Silver," played a major role in the staging of rituals and ceremonies as well as in the identification and materialization of political and religious powers in the pre-Columbian world. They also reflect the fascination that the Inca civilization and the cultures that preceded it have inspired for over four centuries. Finally, they evoke the confrontation with European culture, whose value system was in stark contrast to that of the Andean world.
Revisiting the Imaginary
In European perceptions, the treasures of pre-Columbian Peru are typically linked to the Inca civilization. This association stems from the extensive dissemination of accounts and illustrations across Europe, beginning in the 16th century, by Spanish chroniclers who documented the customs and events of the "New World"—a vast region governed by the Inca Empire of Tahuantinsuyo, with its capital in Cusco.
Yet, Inca metal artifacts are notably scarce in the collections of international museums and are almost entirely absent from archaeological records to this day (Fig. 1). The limited availability of Inca jewelry can be attributed to two main reasons: firstly, the systematic melting of cult and identity objects during the Spanish conquest, which led to the loss of significant material evidence; secondly, both technical and archaeological insights indicate that the Incas, whose empire's expansion spanned only a century, appeared to favor textile arts over metalworking. Like many cultures in the Altiplano, the Incas expressed their identity through exquisite and intricate textiles. It was not until the conquest of northern Peru that the Supreme Inca directed the relocation of Chimu goldsmiths and their skills to Cusco, ensuring their services were dedicated solely to the Inca nobility.
The exhibition "Inca. Gold. Power. God" features pieces that are emblematic of Peruvian goldsmithing, which traces its origins back to 1200 BC in the northern regions of Peru.
More than 140 pieces in the exhibition come from the Larco Museum in Lima, which houses the most comprehensive collection of Peruvian pre-Columbian art in the world. The ceramics, textiles, featherwork, and gold and silver objects from this private collection are of exceptional artistic and informative quality; furthermore, these items are well-documented and the subject of numerous academic studies. Their variety of forms, materials, and rich iconography allows for the exploration of beliefs and a reflection on the role of metal objects in pre-Columbian Peruvian societies over 3,000 years of history.
Having participated in the creation of the online catalog for approximately 1,500 metal objects and the technological study of the gold Mochica frontal headdresses in this significant collection in 2002, the selection of pieces for the exhibition came together quite naturally, almost intimately. The heart of the exhibition was built around a selection of 140 exceptional objects in collaboration with the team at the Larco Museum. As a collaborator with the Larco Museum for 15 years, I share with this institution a mutual passion for the cultural heritage of pre-Columbian Peru and a shared desire to present it to the world with a contemporary and modern approach.
The narrative of the exhibition was designed to be fluid, clear, and inspiring. It was enriched with pieces from European collections, including those of the renowned museums in Vienna and Hildesheim. For the first time, around sixty unique pieces from the Musée des Jacobins in Auch, which houses a significant collection of pre-Columbian art, were presented to an international audience. Additionally, the Musée de l'Armée in Paris contributed to the exhibition by showcasing Spanish weapons and saddlery from the time of the conquistadors.
The exhibition catalog aimed to be engaging, educational, and accessible; its writing sought to tell a story and immerse the reader in the Andean world rather than merely describing each artwork individually.
Breathtaking Staging
Drawing inspiration from two radically different worldviews, the exhibition was designed around the concept of duality—both cultural and technical—by selecting a former 19th-century steelworks as the backdrop for the ancient treasures of Peruvian goldsmithing (Fig. 2).
The exhibition spans the entirety of the 6,000 square meters of the former blowing room of the Völklingen steelworks, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1994. The risk was that the space might feel soulless and lacking in intimacy, but that is far from the case. The delicacy of the gold and silver works, handcrafted using traditional hammering techniques (Fig. 3), contrasts elegantly with the imposing machinery that symbolizes the industrial expertise of raw casting.
The exhibition is intelligently designed, enhanced by large-format photographs showcasing the rich biodiversity of Peru, as well as a reconstruction of the "Cuarto del Rescate" of the Inca Atahualpa. There is also a section dedicated to the arms and armor of the Spanish conquerors. Thus, visitors are immersed in the Andean world before and during the conquest while navigating through two completely different metal production logics: one artisanal with symbolic intent, and the other industrial with economic aims.
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References
[1] Garcilaso de la Vega: El Inca.Comentarios Reales de los Incas, Volumes I, II, III. Biblioteca Peruana Edition, Lima, 1973 [1609].
[2] Ramiro Salas Bravo, Doris Kurella, and Andrés Alvarez-Calderón Larco.Inka Gold: 3000 Years of Advanced Civilization, Exhibition Catalogue. Völklinger Hütte Edition, Kherer Publisher, Germany, 2004.
[3] Fraresso, Carole."Ancient Peruvian Gold and Silver Jewellery: Fashion and Religion." In Berg Fashion Library Encyclopedia of World Dress and Fashion, Online Exclusives, Berg Publishers, pp. 1-8. Oxford, 2011.
[4] Guamán Poma de Ayala, Felipe.Nueva Crónica y Buen Gobierno. Illustrated Peruvian Codex. Foreword by Paul Rivet. Summary by Richard Pietschmann. Work and Memoirs of the Institute of Ethnology, No. 23. Institute of Ethnology, University of Paris, Paris, 1936 [1615].
[5] Lechtman, Heather."Cloth and Metal: The Culture of Technology." In Andean Art at Dumbarton Oaks, edited by E. H. Boone, Vol. 1, pp. 33-43. Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection, Washington D.C., 1996.
[6] Desrosiers, Sophie."Logicas Textiles et Logicas Culturales en los Andes." In Saberes y Memorias en los Andes, edited by Th. Bouysse-Cassagne, pp. 325-349. Lima: Institut Français d’Études Andines/Paris: Institut des Hautes Études sur l’Amérique Latine, 1997.
[7] Fraresso, Carole.L’usage du métal dans la parure et les rites de la culture Mochica (150-850 ap. J.-C.), Pérou. PhD Thesis. IRAMAT-CRP2A, Université Michel de Montaigne Bordeaux 3, 598 pp., Bordeaux, France, 2007.
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