Sun Symbolism in Art: From Inti to the Virgin Mary
As summer peaks, Art & Object explores the enduring significance of the sun in art history. The article highlights the sun's pervasive role as a symbol across cultures, citing the Virgin Mary's biblical association with solar bodies and the Incan sun god Inti. It notes the eventual blending of these traditions, visible today in South and Central America. The piece features a gold headdress ornament from Colombia's Calima (Yotoco) culture, dated 1st–7th century, now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The object, measuring 8 1/2 × 11 1/2 × 1 1/4 inches, was a gift of Alice K. Bache in 1966 and 1977. The article acknowledges the impossibility of a comprehensive survey but offers a personal selection of symbolic traditions.
Key facts
- The article discusses sun symbolism in art history.
- It references the Virgin Mary's association with the sun and moon.
- It mentions the Incan sun god Inti.
- The blending of these traditions is visible in South and Central America.
- A gold headdress ornament from Colombia's Calima (Yotoco) culture is featured.
- The ornament dates from the 1st–7th century.
- It is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
- The piece was a gift of Alice K. Bache in 1966 and 1977.
Entities
Institutions
- Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Art & Object
Locations
- Colombia
- South America
- Central America