Lettuce, It is one of the most valuable religious jewels in the art collection of the Bank of the Republic of Colombia, and one of the richest garments in Latin America. It is the custody of the San Ignacio Church in Bogotá, a beautiful piece that establishes a dialogue between European, African and American culture.
It was in the eighteenth century, when its impressive creation was inspired; before the growing trend in the elaboration of religious motifs that was lived for the moment; and therefore within the articles manufactured for that purpose, were the Custodies.
It is called La “Lechuga”, due to the bright green color of its emeralds; a majestic work by the Spanish goldsmith José Galaz, who took him several years to finish using the lost wax method; beginning in 1700 and ending in 1707. The lavish garment features one thousand four hundred and eighty-five emeralds, one sapphire, thirteen rubies, twenty-eight diamonds, sixty-two baroque pearls, and one hundred and sixty-eight amethysts.
In the beautiful piece, a sun decorated with twenty-two larger undulating rays, topped with smaller suns, adorned with emeralds and twenty smaller rays with embedded pearls, can be seen in detail in the upper area. At the top of the sun, there is a cross made of gold with emeralds and figures of vine leaves with small bunches of grapes; symbols of the Eucharist and of Christ surrounding the sun.
The virile is surrounded by pearls and sixty-three rays; also in the middle area of the appreciable object you can see the image of an angel with open wings and outstretched arms holding the sun. Below the seraph, there are two knots, in which the priest held his hands to raise the Custody.
Then the base is placed with an ornamentation in acanthus leaves and grapes, in which there are reliefs of intertwined animals and angels; becoming an unquestionable relic of goldsmithing, of the New Kingdom of Granada. For this reason, it is worthy of praise that it has remained intact during all this time, without having suffered any damage. In the channel «Youtube» “Banco de la República”, you will be able to see a brief description of “Lechuga”.
In addition, it is a faithful testimony of what happened in the Spanish baroque world, in the territories of America and how that style of art found new spaces in abundant lands of gold, silver and different precious stones, including diamonds. Wonders highlighted by an indigenous culture in the hands of great goldsmiths of the Continent.
A sample of the past that remains perfectly immortalized with the distinctive stones of Colombia, its emeralds, that have always been present in rituals and symbolic objects of extraordinary beauty, quality and purity. Undoubtedly a very special jewel, which has survived over time for the enjoyment of our eyes. In it you can admire the dedication and wisdom of past generations, in the making of such an exquisite and lasting jewel.