Description of the attraction
The National Gallery of Art is the first major project of the Culture and Arts Foundation, opened in 1996 with the active support of several public and private institutions and individuals interested in promoting the country's art. The main office is located opposite La Merced square, in an old building in the center of Tegucigalpa.
The historical premises where the gallery is located were originally occupied by the monastery of Our Lady of Mercy, built in 1654. Later, in 1857, the first university in the country was moved here, which functioned here until 1968.
The National Art Gallery presents to the attention of the visitors of the exhibition in several ways. Rock art - the museum has developed a tour introducing samples of drawings and petroglyphs - the most ancient forms of human artistic activity. The halls contain replicas of paintings from the Yaguakire and Talanga caves, and petroglyphs found in Paraiso. The oldest frescoes tell about beliefs in magic and higher powers, and petroglyphs are able to express the feelings and ideas of ancient people. Also in this room is a monolith that resembles a butterfly cocoon found at the archaeological site in Moskitia.
Room two invites you to view stone sculptures belonging to the Honduran Institute of Anthropology and History. These are decorative parts of the figures (head and chest) and two grinding stones taken from the archaeological reserve in Copan, in excellent condition. The exposition of pre-Columbian ceramics presents objects of utilitarian use brought from various archaeological sites in the country. The exhibits are in excellent condition, here you can see several whistles made in the form of various animals, dishes, glasses, pots and dishes, trace the evolution of forms and decoration. Most of the artifacts are about a thousand years old.
The Colonial Picture Hall presents religious painting from the very beginning of the conquest of Latin America, tells about its role in the preaching of Christianity. In addition, exhibits include excellent quality Honduran paint brushes; paintings for churches and monasteries, a collection of paintings by various artists on the gospel themes.
The cult silver collection represents the items that were and are used at Mass. Chronologically, these objects correspond to the colonial period up to the nineteenth century. Honduran jewelers were mostly mestizos, mulattoes and indigenous people, so they remained unknown. Among the religious treasures on display at the National Gallery of Art is the gilded, embossed and jeweled monstrance known for its beauty; a staff of gilded silver, a ducal crown, silver candlesticks, etc. Most of these objects were removed from the Cathedral of Tegucigalpa.
The National Gallery of Art participates in the organization of art exhibitions, promotes the development of tourism and invites everyone to visit its museum.
