Wood decorated in ‘barniz de Pasto’ lacquer with iron mounts. The casket is decorated with a geometric border enclosing a pair of mythological creatures which resemble deer on the front, alongside flowers and fruits native to Colombia; and on the reverse a black dog in the centre, with an exotic bird on either side and exotic flowers and fruits. Both ends and the lid of the casket are adorned with exotic, mythological animals. Each corner is fitted with iron mounts and the top is fitted with an iron handle.

In his essay ‘The Lacquer Arts of Latin America’, Mitchell Codding states that, of the Latin American decorative arts, the indigenous lacquer traditions of Mexico and the Andes were the most profoundly affected by the arts of Asia during the colonial period: ‘As demand exceeded supply for the exotic and expensive Asian lacquerware brought to Acapulco on the Manila galleons, artisans in Mexico and Colombia began to apply their skills to the production of lacquerware for the Spanish market’ (Mitchell Codding, ‘The Lacquer Arts of Latin America’ in Dennis Carr (ed.), ‘Made in the Americas: The New World Discovers Asia’ (MFA Publications, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, 2015), p.75).

This casket takes the traditional form of a Spanish domed ‘arqueta’ (chest), which was popular within Spain and its colonies from the sixteenth until the eighteenth century. Such caskets usually held esteemed and valuable personal effects.

‘Barniz de Pasto’: ‘Barniz de Pasto’ is typically classified as a lacquer-like technique, being made of plant extract which is applied in layers to wood and which is waterproof, durable and valued for its lustre. Codding states that ‘mopa mopa’, a translucent pale green natural resin which is the principal medium for lacquerware known as ‘barniz de Pasto’ or Pasto varnish, has been produced in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru from the viceregal period to the present day. The ‘mopa mopa’ sticky elastic resin ‘is obtained from the garbanzo-bean-sized leaf buds of the mopa mopa tree (Elaeagia pastoensis Mora), native to the tropical rain forests of the mountains of southwest Colombia near Mocoa’ (ibid, p.76). During the colonial period, the indigenous people of the Sibundoy Valley supplied the resin-covered leaf buds, pressed into blocks, to the lacquer artisans. The resin was then processed and coloured, so that it could be applied to a variety of decorative wooden objects (ibid, p.77).

Codding describes the process for manufacturing ‘barniz de Pasto’ from ‘mopa mopa’: ‘The transformation from raw mopa mopa into a decorative lacquer was a largely manual process, beginning with the removal of impurities such as leaves, bark, and other organic matter. Small amounts of the gummy resin were then chewed or boiled in water (or both) to make it sufficiently elastic to stretch into thin sheets, which also facilitated the removal of additional impurities. This process was repeated numerous times to achieve the most transparent lacquer. Once the material was purified, organic and mineral colorants were added through kneading or chewing. After the resin was heated again in boiling water, two artisans would stretch the highly elastic mopa mopa into extremely thin sheets by pulling it in opposing directions with their hands and teeth. The shapes for a decorative design were then cut from the centre of the sheet, where the resin was thinnest, and applied with heat to a wooden object. Once the resin had coole,d the bond was permanent. The resulting lacquer provided an exceptionally durable, waterproof surface impervious to most organic solvents’ (ibid, p.77).

The ‘barniz de Pasto’ technique was used in the Viceroyalty of Peru, where production centred on Pasto in South West Columbia and Quito in Ecuador. Codding praises the ‘barnizadores’ – the indigenous lacquer artisans of Pasto and Quito – who enabled ‘mopa mopa’ to achieve its fullest artistic expression as a lacquer medium in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The print below shows two ‘barnizadores’ at work creating objects in ‘Barniz de pasto’. By 1676, ‘barniz de Pasto’ had a considerable reputation in Europe and ‘[t]hroughout the eighteenth century various travelers made their way to Pasto, where they studied, described, and extolled the virutes of the prized lacquer.’ The naturalist-explorers Jorge Juan and Antonio de Ulloa visited Pasto in 1740 and ‘remarked that barniz de Pasto rivaled the best Asian lacquers in its colors’ beauty, shine, and durability’ (ibid, p.78).

The watercolour below by Manuel María Paz (1820−1902) entitled ‘Barnizadores de Pasto: Provincia de Pasto’ and dated 1853 shows three people, possibly a family, sitting around a small table painting pottery artefacts in a shop in Pasto Province (present-day Nariño Department), southwest Colombia. A well-dressed man examines the wares in the background, whilst another man wearing a poncho surveys the scene. Paz’s work captured the diversity of the Colombian population and depicted the daily activities and traditional customs of the country’s different ethnic, racial and social groups. Paz strove to represent the places and people of Colombia in a naturalistic and objective style and his pictures constitute documentary records for the history and culture of Colombia.

Comparators:
Codding illustrates a similar coffer from Pasto, Colombia, dated circa 1650, which has been made from wood, decorated with ‘barniz de Pasto’ and silver fittings, and is a similar size to our casket (see adjacent image illustrated in Mitchell Codding, ‘The Lacquer Arts of Latin America’ in Dennis Carr (ed.), ‘Made in the Americas: The New World Discovers Asia’ (MFA Publications, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, 2015), fig.47, p.79).

Coffer; Pasto, Colombia; circa 1650; The Hispanic Society of America, New York; LS 2067

A Colombian ‘barniz de Pasto’ chest was lent to the Denver Art Museum for the exhibition ‘Personal Effects: Art & Home in South America’ by the collection of Frederick and Jan Mayer, which was on show in November 2014 (see adjacent image; https://denverartmuseum.org/article/staff-blogs/exhibit-explores-prized-functional-items-spanish-america).

An early 18th Century ‘barniz de Pasto’ Colombian chest is held in the collection of the Denver Art Museum (see adjacent image; Object ID: 1990.301).

Lacquer chest; Colombia; early 18th Century; Denver Art Museum; Object ID: 1990.301; Gift of the Stapleton Foundation of Latin American Colonial Art, made possible by the Renchard Family; https://denverartmuseum.org/object/1990.301

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art has a ‘barniz de Pasto’ chest (cofre) in its collection which is from Colombia and is dated 17th-18th century. The chest is also made from wood, decorated with ‘barniz de Pasto’ and silver fittings, and is slightly smaller than our casket.

Chest (Cofre); Columbia; 17th-18th Century; Purchased with funds provided by the Bernard and Edith Lewin Collection of Mexican Art Deaccession Fund; M.2008.34; https://collections.lacma.org/node/215521

The Victoria and Albert Museum has a Colombian Table cabinet in their collection which is dated 1625-1675 and is decorated in ‘barniz de Pasto’ with iron mounts (see adjacent image; Museum number: W.5-2015).

Cabinet; Colombia (Vice-royalty of Peru (Colombia); 1625-1675; Unknown maker; Victoria and Albert Museum number: W.5-2015; Given by Dr. Robert MacLeod Coupe and Heather Coupe in memory of their brother, Philip MacLeod Coupe; https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1296371/cabinet-unknown/).

The website of the Fine Arts Museum of Asturias features a Peruvian Colonial ‘barniz de Pasto’ casket, dated from the second half of the 17th century and from a private collection (see adjacent image; http://www.museobbaa.com/actividad/contraste-dialogo-la-arqueta-laca-japonesa-la-barniz-pasto/).

The Museo del America in Madrid has a ‘barniz de Pasto’ ‘batea’ from Pasto, Colombia in its collection which is dated 1601-1700 (Inventory No.: 12242).

A ‘barniz de Pasto’ batea lacada’; Museo del America, Madrid; Inventory No.12242; http://www.culturaydeporte.gob.es/museodeamerica/coleccion/seleccion-de-piezas2/colonial/bandeja-pasto.html