America

This larger than life-size figure was part of a group representing the four continents of Europe, Asia, Africa and America. These figures would have been part of ephemeral installations in Catholic churches, usually exhibited during royal births and deaths, marriages and birthdays. This sculpture follows Cesare Ripa's "Iconologia," which gave instructions on how to characterize allegorical representations of the continents. Ponce's America wears the feather headdress mentioned by Ripa in his writings.