The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of December 14, 2025

Monkey Finial

c. 800–1470

Peru, North Coast, Sicán or Chimú, 9th-15th Century

hammered and embossed gold alloy
Overall: 36.9 cm (14 1/2 in.)
James Albert Ford Memorial Fund 1949.197
Location: Not on view

Description

This three-dimensional sculpture constructed of sheet gold may have served as the finial for a staff or baton. It represents a monkey holding a fruit.
  • Brummer Collection
    Brummer Collection
  • Milliken, William. "Pre-Columbian Accessions." The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art 37, no. 1 (January 1950): 10-11, 14-16. Reproduced: p. 11; Mentioned: p. 15 www.jstor.org
  • New York, NY: Museum of Modern Art; January 26-March 26, 1954. "Ancient Arts of the Andes." exh. cat. repr. in black and white, p. 89, fig. 101.
  • {{cite web|title=Monkey Finial|url=false|author=|year=c. 800–1470|access-date=14 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1949.197