In the former home of the legendary painter Oswaldo Guayasamín (1919–99), this wonderful museum houses the most complete collection of his work. Guayasamín was also an avid collector, and the museum displays his outstanding collection of pre-Columbian ceramic, bone and metal pieces. The pieces are arranged by theme – bowls, fertility figurines, burial masks etc – and in the geometric designs and muted color schemes you can see the influence on Guayasamín’s work.
The museum also houses Guayasamín’s collection of religious art, including works by highly skilled indigenous artists from the Escuela Quiteña; there’s even a collection of bloody crucifixes (although Guayasamín was agnostic, he incorporated tortured and Christlike images in his own work). The highlight is a tiny crucifix with a pendulum heart inside that ticks against the chest cavity when touched (or breathed on, according to the caretaker).
