Pre-Columbian Art has long been a favorite of collectors of antiquities, probably for reasons related to the beauty of the objects as well as the history that the artifacts describe. The title perhaps is a misnomer, suggesting a time before the arrival in the New World of Christopher Columbus in 1492; however, the Spanish conquest of Mexico by Cortez in 1521 and the subsequent incursion on Peru by Pizarro in 1532 more specifically influenced the artistic production of Mesoamerica. Some scholars refer to this period as Pre-Hispanic rather than the more popular term, Pre-Columbian. Either term describes a location in time and place and the impact of indigenous peoples on the objects - both functional and decorative - that produced a remarkable tradition which helps us understand them in our present time. The artwork in this complex culture usually is considered to extend from a few centuries B.C.E. (called Pre-classical) to the 16th-century European presence mentioned above. The location spans two continents from Mexico to the tip of South America with particular cultures developing their individual aesthetics in various pockets of local culture. Some cross fertilization of ideas, techniques, and function occurred as interactions brought new influences, however, for the most part each of these cultures retained its individualistic appearance and function. The two major cultures generally defined by scholars are described as Mesoamerica which includes Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and part of El Salvador; and the southerly cultures, termed the Andean Area, considered to be southern Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and northern Chile and Argentina. Intersecting these two major regions is the "Intermediate Area," which includes Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama, Columbia, and northern Ecuador. The distinctions among these cultures reflect attitudes towards their people, their religion, and their emphases upon important values which show markedly in the subject matter portrayed and the techniques employed from rough, primitive forms to highly polished, idiosyncratic, and technically precise examples. It is the pleasure of "reading" the narrative in the objects that brings particular delight to collectors and historians. From assessments of these remarkable works of art, we are able to conjecture upon the more functional aspects of each culture, Just as Attic vase decoration described Ancient Greed religion, mythology, and cultural practices which informs our understanding of a time before Classical Antiquity, so also do the various objects in collections of Pre-Columbian art. The artwork in this exhibition is part of a larger collection of artifacts owned by Robert and Virginia Williamson. The exhibition is organized by traditional historic cultures representing many of the aesthetic examples which typify their production over particular time periods. The cultures shown include artifacts from along the southwestern border of Mexico: Nayarit, Jalisco, Colima; and the central and Gulf coast: Vera Cruz, Tlatilco, and Maya from the Yucatan. Mesoamerican cultures include Nicoya and Quimbaya. Peruvian cultures include Chimu, Moche, Chavin, Inca, Chancay, and Nazca, among others. Forms range from religious figures to functional vessels, some with human or animal effigies providing information about deities or everyday activities. People demonstrate various illnesses, sexual interactions, and possibly, portraits. Animals adorn objects, some incorporating their forms into that of the vessel;some as painted decorations. Most of the objects are figurative with some exceptions in the abstract designs of painted vessels by Maya and Nazca artists. The material used is predominantly terracotta, clay fired at high temperatures to provide rigidity and the ability to hold liquids. In some cultures, a sophisticated decoration of polychrome (the use of various colors) is applied as slip (thinned liquid clay) which when fired becomes an integral part of the vessel. Stone is used by the Mexican Guerrero culture to a large extent; mostly small figures and heads appear in the Williamson collection. The Peruvian Nazca objects display the most elaborate polychromy, with abstract repeated patterns and descriptions of deities in a variety of actions, perhaps defining a mythological narrative. These latter vessels are highly polished and represent a considerable concert for craft. Of all the effigy vases, the Mochica examples perhaps bear the most significant reputation for workmanship and precision in their descriptions of human heads and figures. Portraits as well as actions are portrayed in a highly realistic manner. Some scholars believe the artisans to be the women of the culture describing every manner of their culture existence, including elaborate depictions of sexual interactions and complex descriptions of the ill. With over 100 artifacts in the Williamson exhibition, arranged by culture and demonstrating both typical and aberrant examples, it is possible through the art to assess the nature of human activity as a record of its time and its people. The Lore Degenstein Gallery is privileged to show this valuable collection and grateful to Dr. and Mrs. Williamson for their generosity in bringing it to our door. We also thank the Charles B. Degenstein Endowment for the programs of art shown throughout the year in the Lore Degenstein Gallery. Monkey Stirrup-spout Vessel, Chavin, Poly-chromed terracotta, 700-400 BCE, 9.5"