Feline Figure
1100–1470
Medium
Turquoise with cinnabar
Dimensions
1.5 × 2.3 cm (9/16 × 7/8 in.)
Classification
stone
Department
Arts of the Americas
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
59385
Art Historical Context
Nestled in the Arts of the Americas collection at the Art Institute of Chicago this exquisite *Feline Figure* from Chimú culture (110–1470) captivates with its miniature scale—just 1.5 × 2.3 cm—and materials. Carved from precious turquoise and accented with cinnabar, vivid red pigment derived from mercury sulfide, the sculpture depicts a stylized feline, likely evoking the powerful puma or jag revered in Andean cosmology. The Chimú, who flourished on Peru's north coast before their conquest by the Inca, were master artisans known for intricate stonework, goldsmithing, and ceramics. Turquoise,...
About the Artist
Chimú
The Chimú, a preeminent pre-Columbian culture of Peru's northern coast, flourished from approximately 900 to 1470 CE as the Kingdom of Chimor, emerging in the wake of the Moche civilization's decline and incorporating influences from the Sican, Wari, and Cajamarca cultures. Centered in the vast adobe metropolis of Chan Chan—the largest city in the Americas before the Inca, housing up to 60,000 peo...