Guna Mola Panel Depicting the Three Wise Men, Los Reyes Magos

About Auction

Live

The Parker & Neal Mola Collection - Part 1

By Dana Auctions LLC

May 16, 2026

Set Reminder 2026-05-16 11:00:00 2026-05-16 11:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : The Parker & Neal Mola Collection - Part 1 https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/dana-auctions-llc/the-parker-neal-mola-collection---part-1-23111
The Parker-Neal Mola Collection Auction on May 16 presents a compelling selection of molas drawn from the renowned collection of Ann Parker and Avon Neal, co-authors of Molas: Folk Art of the Cuna Indians. This first offering has been thoughtfully curated to highlight some of the most interesting and visually striking examples from their extensive holdings. Dana Auctions LLC dana@danaauctions.com

View Full Catalog (202)

• Lot Description
  Panama (Guna Yala), circa 1970s 13.5 × 15.5 inches A joyful mola panel worked in three layers of reverse appliqué, appliqué, and embroidery depicting the Three Wise Men (Magi) from the Christian Nativity narrative. The composition demonstrates the Guna tradition of interpreting Biblical stories through distinctively Indigenous aesthetic vocabularies, creating a unique cultural synthesis that honors Christian religious traditions while maintaining Guna visual identity and decorative sensibilities. The three Wise Men dominate the lower portion of the composition, rendered as frontal standing figures with simplified geometric forms. Each figure is distinguished by color—yellow-orange, pink, and green—identifying them as the three Magi traditionally named Melchior, Caspar, and Balthazar. The faces are executed with characteristic Guna stylization: white appliqué eyes, simplified facial features, and no attempt at realistic portraiture. Each body is filled with dense running stitch embroidery creating vertical striped patterns in multicolored threads, suggesting the rich robes and elaborate garments associated with kings or wise men bearing gifts. The figures' bodies are outlined in contrasting colors—orange, blue, and yellow—creating visual separation between the three visitors while unifying them through shared decorative vocabulary. The lower portions of their robes feature elaborate concentric curved patterns in multiple colors suggesting the sumptuous textiles and royal dress appropriate to visiting monarchs. The feet are rendered as simple boots outlined in white and black, grounding the figures firmly in the terrestrial realm despite their spiritual mission. Above the Wise Men floats the Star of Bethlehem, rendered as a large pink star with concentric layers creating depth and luminosity. The star contains a central medallion with additional decorative patterns suggesting the miraculous light that guided the Magi to the Christ child. Radiating from this central star are additional geometric gift or symbolic forms—diamond and triangular shapes filled with intricate embroidered patterns possibly representing the traditional gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The entire background field is activated with multicolored triangular appliqué elements in orange, yellow, pink, blue, green, white, and purple, creating a confetti-like celebratory atmosphere appropriate to the joyful news of the Nativity. This dense patterning transforms the negative space into a starry firmament or festive environment celebrating the sacred event. The three-layer construction creates subtle depth through color reveals, particularly visible in the figures' robes and the star motif. Extensive embroidery work throughout demonstrates exceptional skill, with hundreds of individual running stitches creating the striped body patterns and curved decorative elements. The vibrant color palette—dominated by red ground with orange, pink, yellow, green, blue, and white accents—creates visual excitement appropriate to celebration of this central Christian feast. This piece exemplifies the Guna tradition of documenting and personalizing Christian religious narratives encountered through missionary contact and participation in Panamanian Catholic culture. The transformation of the Three Wise Men into Guna aesthetic vocabulary—with embroidered patterned bodies, simplified faces, and elaborate decorative surrounds—creates a distinctively Indigenous interpretation of universal religious themes. Such panels served devotional, educational, and identity-affirming functions, demonstrating Guna engagement with Christianity while asserting cultural distinctiveness through maintained aesthetic traditions. Worked on deep red cotton ground with layers in black, orange, yellow, pink, green, blue, purple, and white. Three layers with exceptionally dense hand-stitching and embroidery throughout. Complex figurative cutwork and extensive decorative embroidery creating activated starry background. Strong compositional balance integrating sacred narrative with celebratory decorative elements. Single panel on red cotton ground with backing visible. This piece exemplifies the devotional and syncretic functions of Guna mola art, demonstrating the creative adaptation of Christian iconography into traditional Indigenous textile practice while celebrating the joyful mystery of the Nativity. Provenance: From the Parker & Neal Collection

  Condition

  Minor wear and discoloration consistent with age. In house Flat Rate US Shipping of $15 for 1 -10 molas, $5 each additional 10 molas. Insurance is additional and required.
• Shipping Info

  • In House Shipping is available and we will combine for economy. We will charge a $5 per additional lot within the same box. All items are shipped with Insurance. In person pick up is also available in our Princeton, NJ Auction Facility.

• Payment & Auction Policies

  • Available payment options

    • 
    • 
    • 
    • 
    • 
    • 
    • 

    Thank you for Bidding with Dana Auctions. Please note, your credit card on file will be charged in 72 hours if you have not initiated payment. Contact our office at 732-221-3560 if you would like to pay with an alternate method, or if you would like to schedule a pick up in our Princeton, NJ location.

• Buyer's Premium
  • 23.00 %