Arte del mar: Art of the Early Caribbean: The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin, v.77, no. 3 (Winter, 2020)
THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART BULLETIN | VOLUME 77 | NUMBER 3

Arte del mar: Art of the Early Caribbean

Doyle, James A.
2020
48 pages
53 illustrations
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Arte del Mar explores the diverse, interconnected history of the indigenous peoples of the Caribbean, where the sea was a vital source of cultural exchange. Before the arrival of Europeans, Caribbean societies formed a vast, multilingual network characterized by complex relationships among neighbors and distant contacts alike. Colonization and the subsequent forced mass migration of enslaved peoples from Africa later contributed to the heterogeneous culture of the region. Providing the first holistic look at Caribbean art, this Bulletin features masterworks from the early first millennium to the present, including works by celebrated Taíno artists from the Greater Antilles, as well as fascinating objects from lesser-known societies such as the Tairona from Colombia; the diverse kingdoms in Veraguas, Panama; and the communities in the Ulúa Valley, Honduras. A brief exploration of more contemporary artistic practice yields further insight into this unique ancestral legacy. Whether ancient or modern, the artworks presented here share a formal grammar linking politics, mythology, and ritual performance, revealing a distinctly Caribbean approach to creativity.

Eagle Pendant, Gold, Veraguas
Veraguas
11th–16th century
Figure pendant, Tairona artist(s), Gold, Tairona
Tairona artist(s)
900–1600 CE
Labret, Gold, Tairona
Tairona
10th–16th century
Bird Pendant, Gold alloy, Tairona
Tairona
10th–16th century
Winged Pendant, Greenstone, Tairona
Tairona
10th–16th century
Winged Pendant, Greenstone, Tairona
Tairona
10th–16th century
Winged Pendant, Greenstone, Tairona
Tairona
10th–16th century
Eagle Pendant, Gold (cast), Veraguas
Veraguas
11th–16th century
Double Eagle Pendant, Gold, Veraguas
Veraguas
11th–16th century
Double-Headed Eagle Bell, Gold (cast), Veraguas
Veraguas
11th–16th century
Pedestal Plate, Ceramic, Conte
Conte
800–1200
Double-Tiered Jar, Ceramic, pigment, Tonosí style
Tonosí style
3rd–4th century
Bird pendant, Central Region artist(s), Jadeite, Central Region
Central Region artist(s)
300–700 CE
Headless Anthropomorphic Pendant, Jadeite, Central Region
Central Region
4th–7th century
Trophy Head Pendant, Jadeite, Central Region
Central Region
4th–7th century
Flying Panel Metate, Stone, Central Region
Central Region
1st–5th century
Incense Burner, Ceramic, Costa Rica or Nicaragua
Costa Rica or Nicaragua
7th–12th century
Pedestal Bowl, Marble, Ulúa Valley
Ulúa Valley
9th–10th century
Zemí Cohoba Stand, Taíno artist(s), Guaiacum wood, shell, Taíno
Taíno artist(s)
1000 CE
Figure Pendant, Taíno artist(s), Stone, Taíno
Taíno artist(s)
13th–15th century
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Doyle, James A. 2020. Arte Del Mar: Art of the Early Caribbean. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art.