Ayacucho “Last Supper” Quinua Clay Folk Art – 13 Hand-Painted Figures

This compact retablo ayacuchano embodies the celebrated folk-ceramic tradition of Peru’s south-central highlands. This compact three-dimensional tableau embodies the famous folk-ceramic style of Peru’s south-central highlands. Hand-sculpted from locally quarried Quinua red terracotta, the hollow scene shows Christ and His twelve apostles in high relief around a U-shaped banquet table. Classic regional motifs—ladder borders, scalloped swags and dotted fringe—frame low-relief platters of bread and wine, all finished in matte earth-tone pigments of ochre, oxblood, black and cream. Entirely hand painted, it retains crisp detail and vibrant color, making an engaging devotional or conversation piece. Pieces of this type were produced in mid- to late-20th-century Ayacucho cooperative workshops (Cerámica Quinua) for devotional display and the tourist market; the craft itself is now protected as part of Peru’s National Cultural Heritage. Unsigned by an individual artisan, the work nonetheless showcases the lively modeling and bold palette that define Ayacucho folk ceramics.

Condition
Excellent: no chips, cracks, repairs or paint losses detected; colors remain vivid and surfaces stable. Please review photos (soup can shown for scale).

Dimensions (inches)
3.75 H × 7 W × 3.25 D