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Circular Plaque with Four Trophy Heads and Solar Motif

Date

1480-1536

Creator

Unrecorded Santa María artist
Raclin Murphy Museum of Art

On this plaque, four severed heads and a solar design form a cross and create a cosmogram defining the center of the world. This cosmogram is reiterated with four concentric circle motifs that might represent other celestial bodies. Whoever holds or displays this plaque symbolically rules the center of the world and wields great power. Imperial Phase circular plaques are bilaterally symmetrical on one or both axes, use design elements similar to one another, and differ from earlier plaques in size and complexity. Their functions are unknown, but all have loops cast onto their backs to allow them to be attached to shields or other devices.

A section of the proper lower right portion of the circumference was deliberately removed in ancient times. Perhaps it was ritually killed to allow its spirit to accompany its owner, or perhaps that portion was removed as a keepsake of the deceased ruler. The loss is not disfiguring because the carefully balanced composition draws the whole image together. This is always the product of good design and a tribute to the skill of the artist.

from O'Grady, Myth & Melancholy: The Mr. and Mrs. Robert E. O'Grady Collection of Southern Cone Art (Notre Dame, 2014)

Images

This is called Circular Plaque with Four Trophy Heads and Solar Motif within the category of Sculpture.Open in external viewer application
This is called Circular Plaque with Four Trophy Heads and Solar Motif within the category of Sculpture.
This is called Circular Plaque with Four Trophy Heads and Solar Motif within the category of Sculpture.
This is called Circular Plaque with Four Trophy Heads and Solar Motif within the category of Sculpture.
This is called Circular Plaque with Four Trophy Heads and Solar Motif within the category of Sculpture.
+0
This is called Circular Plaque with Four Trophy Heads and Solar Motif within the category of Sculpture.

Metadata

Creator
Unrecorded Santa María artist
Date
1480-1536
Classification
Sculpture
Related Location
South America, Argentina
Medium
Lost-wax cast copper alloy
Dimensions
11 1/2 x 11 1/2 x 3/4 in. (29.21 x 29.21 x 1.91 cm)
Credit Line
Robert E., ND ’63 and Beverly, SMC ’63 O’Grady FundRobert E., ND ’63 and Beverly, SMC ’63 O’Grady Fund
Copyright Status
Public domain

Metadata

Accession Number
2005.028
Campus Location
Raclin Murphy Museum of Art
Access

Raclin Murphy Museum of Art: Raclin Murphy Museum

Metadata

Contact Us

Our collection information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. If you have spotted an error, please contact Raclin Murphy Museum of Art at RMMACollections@nd.edu.


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Raclin Murphy Art Museum
100 Raclin Murphy Museum of Art
Notre Dame, IN 46556 USA
Phone (574) 631–5466
RMMACollections@nd.edu
Hesburgh Library
284 Hesburgh Library
Notre Dame, IN 46556 USA
Phone (574) 631-6258
asklib@nd.edu
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