The Metropolitan Museum of Art - Special Exhibitions: Radiance from the Rain Forest: Featherwork in Ancient Peru

Radiance from the Rain Forest: Featherwork in Ancient Peru

		Tabard Chimú 15th–16th century Said to be from the Chincha Valley, south coast Cotton, feathers; 48 1/2 x 55 1/2 in. Private collection See a detail view of this tabard.

Featuring a bold turquoise U-shaped yoke on a solid yellow field, this spectacular tabard is among the grandest surviving examples from Precolumbian Peru. Its design and technique combine north and south coast characteristics. The striped foundation fabric, woven with finely spun cotton in shades of natural light tan and brown (visible along the unfeathered shoulder) is typical of southern weaving, while the use of double wefts is commonly found on textiles from the north central coast. The small playful profile birds with zigzag bodies and wings are a hallmark of Chimú art from the north coast, and the inverted stepped triangles along the bottom are seen in the textile arts of the south. The tabard was probably made by Chimú textile artists after the Inka had conquered their territory on the north coast and moved the most skilled Chimú artists to the south. The feathers are Blue-and-yellow Macaw. The back of the tabard is covered with alternating rows of long green and pink feathers, probably from the Red-and-green Macaw and the Chilean Flamingo, respectively.