Indigenous Colombia

Colombia is a South American country home to many Indigenous peoples, from mountain communities to those of the Amazonian lowlands. Their traditions of adornment include painted skin, permanent markings and carefully made ornaments.

Historical accounts from the western Amazon describe lines on the cheeks and around the mouth. Travellers did not always distinguish tattoos from plant-based paint, which could remain visible for days.

Featherwork, necklaces and clothing added different colours and textures to the body. Each piece involved knowledge of materials and the occasion for which it would be worn. Designs were made within particular communities, not drawn from one country-wide style.

The portraits include people identified as Coréguaje, Uitoto and others. Jewellery also appears on representations of Muisca people. Together they show how differently a body could be decorated within the same modern country's borders.