Textile

19th–20th century

Not on view

This textile is a fine example of the Aymara warp-faced weaving tradition, which scholars believe date back to pre-Hispanic times (see Adelson and Tracht, 1983: 9). The Aymara, who live on the altiplano (high plateau) of Peru, Bolivia, and Chile, are excellent spinners and skilled weavers of fine yarns made from camelid fiber, most commonly from llama, alpaca, or vicuña. Having developed a highly complex dyeing technique as evidenced by the depth, evenness, and endurance of the brilliant colors seen in their textiles, the Aymara often integrate a rich spectrum of colors within their weavings. Over half a dozen colors, ranging from reds and yellows to blues and greens, may be artfully incorporated into a single textile through the use of stripes, a prevailing design composition amongst Aymara weavings.

References

Adelson, Laurie and Arthur Tracht. 1983. Aymara Weavings: Ceremonial Textiles of Colonial and 19th Century Bolivia. Washington D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service.

Artwork Details

Overview

Provenance

References

Title: Textile
Date: 19th–20th century
Geography: Bolivia, Peru, or Chile
Culture: Aymara
Medium: Camelid hair
Dimensions: H. 33 1/4 × W. 33 1/2 in. (84.5 × 85.1 cm)
Classification: Textiles
Credit Line: Gift of Steve Andreas, 2017
Object Number: 2017.395.24
Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing

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