Evening star., 1954-01-17
News
'Pre-CoIumbiun
Gold onView
By Florence S. Berrymon

tIVtSUSS ,. OSVIyWUu
Columbus discovery of
America has been considered
catastrophe by some authori-
ties who point out that 1t
brought to an end the develop
ment Of indigenous civiliza-
tions which might have been
the wonder Of the world today,
had they not been crushed or
subordinated by the arrival Of
the Europeans.
Impossible as it is for most
of us to agree with this theory,
we catch glimpses Of the po-
tentialities of these Indian
cultures from such exhibitions
as that soon to open at the
National Gallery Of Art. MAS
terpieces Of Pre- Columbian
Gold" from the Gold Museum
of the Banco de la Republica.
Bogota. Colombia, will open
with a preview on Tuesday
evening next. for Government
officials and other invited
guests. and will be open to the
public from Wednesday
through February 81. The show
Is installed in lobby B. second
floor, between the west garden
court and sculpture corridor.
From the Museo del Orc
The collection contains 80 Of
the finest pieces of pre-His-
panic gold work from the in
comparable treasure Of the
Museo del Orc. This museum
was founded in 1889 by the
Bank of the Republic of CO.
lombia, with the objective of
collecting and preserving q
portion of the cultural and
artistic patrimony Of the ma
ton. DR.. Luis-Angel Arrange.
the present managing director
Of the bank. has played a lead
ing role in its foundation and
service. Within the brief pc
riod Of IS years. the collections
have grown to more than 6.700
Items, over four times the total
number Of such objects that
exist in all the other museum
and private collections in the
world.
The National Gallery's show
ing Is the first time that any
OF these objects have been ex-
hibited outside the bank. the
authorities of which consented
to the loan to demonstrate
their nations esteem for Co.
lumbia University. New York
City. in whose bicentennial
ceremonies the. Banko de la
Republica was invited to par
ticipate; and for the Metro
politan Museum of Art. where
the collection will be shown
after 1t closes here.
Mony Fobulous Works
The Museo del Oro's first ac-
QUESTION. the superb Quimbaya
ceremonial vase. considered
one Of the classics Of Colom-
bian archaeology. is among the
objects at the National Gallery.
There too. is a complete set Of
adornmentS for a Calima chief
tain, including a repousse dia-
dem. ear spools and bangles,
repousse nose ornament. pecto-
raj, armletS. and bangle brace
let's; a life-size conch shell
made Of single sheet of gold:
elaborately cast pins in the
form of sceptres; Chibcha and
Darien cast figurines: an ex-
Quisite Quimbaya alligator cast
in a single piece: and many
other fabulous little works.
Prof. Perez de Barradas, who
has written the introduction to
the catalogue. estimates that
pieces included in this show
range from the beginning of
the Christian era or earlier,
almost to the time of the Span
ish Conquest. This catalogue,
entitled 80 Masterpieces from
the Gold Museum" ($1.5O is
an authoritative publication on
a subject of which most of us
know nothing. The foreword
traces the scientific study of
pre-Hispanic gold work in CO.
lombia from its beginning just
one century ago; describes in
digenous techniques: and en-
deavorS to classify the pieces
according to archaeological
zones or large ethnic groups.
Every item on view is illus
trated. some in colors, and full
ly described.