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Collections

Unidentified artists
Trunk (Baúl)second half of the 17th century

On view:
Geffen Galleries, Spanish America at the Center of the World
Dome-lidded wooden chest painted overall with dense foliate, bird, and animal motifs in coral, blue, and green on a near-black ground, with two circular narrative medallions on the front face and iron strap hardware
Wooden dome-lidded trunk with polychrome painted decoration; the arched lid displays dense scrolling foliate patterns in warm red-brown tones, while the front body is covered in a dark ground with a gilt diagonal grid pattern and figural scenes at the corners; iron hinges and lock hardware visible.
Arched wooden chest or cabinet door with iron hardware, densely painted in green, orange, red, and gold on a dark ground; central circular medallion with a crowned motif and iron ring handle, surrounded by symmetrical scrolling foliage, paired birds, and floral borders.
Artist or Maker
Unidentified artists
Title
Trunk (Baúl)
Place Made
Mexico, Peribán (Michoacán)
Date Made
second half of the 17th century
Medium
Wood, lacquer, and metal fittings
Dimensions
25 1/2 × 43 1/2 × 18 1/2 in. (64.8 × 110.5 × 47 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of Ronald A. Belkin, Long Beach, California, in honor of the museum's 50th anniversary
Accession Number
M.2015.69.1
Classification
Furnishings
Collecting Area
Latin American Art
Curatorial Notes

Peribán, in Michocán, was an acclaimed center for the production of fine lacquerware. In ancient times, Purépecha artists carved designs into lacquered gourds and used powdered pigments to inlay the excised sections. The technique was subsequently applied to a range of wooden furnishings introduced by the Spaniards, such as this chest. Here, riders on horseback are surrounded by local birds and plants, as well as pomegranates (brought to Mexico by the Spaniards). The crowned rampant lions on the sides, which symbolize the Spanish monarchy, are placed amid a profusion of Native and foreign motifs.


From exhibition Archive of the World, 2022 (for more information see the catalogue entry by Rachel Kaplan in the accompanying publication, cats. 72, pp. 288–90)

Provenance

Unknown consignment store, Santa Fe, New Mexico, c. 2002; Peter Grau Gallery Art & Antiques, Solana Beach, California, c. 2002; Ronald A. Belkin, Long Beach, California, 2002; LACMA, 2015.

Selected Bibliography
  • Katzew, Ilona, ed. Archive of the World: Art and Imagination in Spanish America, 1500–1800: Highlights from LACMA’s Collection. Exh. Cat. Los Angeles: Los Angeles County Museum of Art; New York: DelMonico Books/D.A.P., 2022.
Selected Exhibition History
  • Archive of the World: Art and Imagination in Spanish America, 1500–1800. October 20, 2023 - January 28, 2024
  • Archive of the World: Art and Imagination in Spanish America, 1500–1800. October 20, 2023 - January 28, 2024
  • Archive of the World: Art and Imagination in Spanish America, 1500–1800. June 22, 2024 - September 08, 2024
  • Archive of the World: Art and Imagination in Spanish America, 1500–1800. June 22, 2024 - September 08, 2024