I have a painting that I believe is pre-columbian painted on a canvas that is tacked to boards. On the wood it says CUZCO PALACE. Thank you for your time.
2007-07-08 12:08:25 · 4 answers · asked by mike 1 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Visual Arts ➔ Painting
The Incas did not paint on canvas, did not know how to paint on canvas and were not exposed to the technics of using oil paint to paint on canvas the way their European counterparts did. So it could not possibly be pre-Columbian art. And an Inca or Aztec native would have no knowledge of what the French word 'palace' meant or how to use the English alphabet to title it in English.
It is possible that it is old enough to have been painted by a post-Columbian artist (from the 1600s through the 1800s) wanting to capture on canvas the image of the palace. But even still, it would probably not have been titled the way it is.
It is more likely that is was painted to be sold to tourists. Tacking canvas to stretcher frames was still widely being done until the 1950s. Being a tourist painting does not mean it is a bad painting or that it isn't worth anything. It simply means it's not nearly as old as you hoped it were.
Try to provide a link to a photo image of it for us to see.
2007-07-08 13:09:48 · answer #1 · answered by Doc Watson 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Well. what u might have is a post contact piece circa the 1500s, and probably painted by the spanish and not actual inca work.
Cuzco was a incan place does the painting have any religous connotations to it?
The only way to assess its value is first to have it authenticated. You can search pre columbian authenticators and find a few people who could tell you. I know there are a few guys in kentucky who would know.
goodluck
2007-07-08 12:34:47 · answer #2 · answered by pirate w 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Pre-Columbian artists didn't paint on canvas or tack their work to boards. They didn't use the Roman alphabet or write in English. You probably have a business sign from a tourist-oriented shop in Peru.
2007-07-08 12:21:34 · answer #3 · answered by TG 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
It says it in English? Sounds touristy, but I could be wrong. The best pre-Columbian art dept I know of is at the Metropolitan Museum in NYC. Contact them. Pax - C
2007-07-08 12:13:13 · answer #4 · answered by Persiphone_Hellecat 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋