Fine Art Fables: The Golden King

The story we are familiar with through modern retellings of El Dorado originates from an old story originating from Muisca Mythology in Columbia, South America. It is also known as El Hombre Dorado (“The Golden Man”) or El Rey Dorado (“The Golden King”). However, the more modern stories tell the tale of a golden city or empire, the original myth covers the story of a Golden King. The Golden King describes a King of the Musica people. As an initiation rite or coronation for a new king, he had to cover himself with gold dust and then submerge himself in Lake Guatavita. While in the lake, people would throw gold, emeralds and other precious stones into the lake. It was a sort of offering to the god the Musican people worshipped. After the Spanish came to Columbia, that is when the story began to morph over time to become a golden city or empire. Of course, any researchers trying to find this city have never been successful. 

Intrigued by the original myth of the story, I drew a rendition of a Musican king walking into the lake during the initiation process.