Browse Items (14 total)

Beginning in the mid-20th century, Western tourists and art dealers began to arrive in Perú and Bolivia and were struck by the quality of the historic heirloom textiles still in use. As these textiles began to appear on the art market, the artistry…

Early 19th century Bolivian garments, such as the boy’s poncho at right, contain muted colors created entirely with natural dyes, just as they had been throughout the pre-Hispanic period. The thread itself is also identical to that in used ancient…

Indigo dye and the vivid colors of blue-to-green that it produces have been privileged through much of the Andean textile tradition. Many ancient Andean pieces attest to the long-term mastery of natural indigo dyeing (see examples of indigo in…

This 20th century lliklla, shoulder mantle in Quechua, embodies the long-held Andean concept of ayni or dual parts in an almost-equal relationship. First, blue paired with bright red is a typical Andean choice; the two highest-status colors are…

Among the various detailed patterns in this woman’s shoulder mantle are three sideways guitar motifs (in the patterned stripe above the shawl’s center seam). Introduced by the Spanish, guitars are now also associated with Latin American music.…

The Aymara people who inhabit the regions around Lake Titicaca in Bolivia and Perú have been noted for their masterful use of color since they were incorporated into the Inka Empire during the 1400s. Newer techniques, such as k’isa, developed in…

With the Spanish invasion in the 16th century and the establishment of their colonial empire, an array of fabrics from around the world began to be introduced into the Andes and elsewhere in the indigenous Americas. Chinese fabrics came to the…

This 20th-century man’s kapote, or poncho, stands in stark contrast to the 19th-century boy’s version across the gallery. One hundred years has made a remarkable difference. They are both ponchos, however, and as such reflect the dramatic…

Incuñas or sacred cloths, like the example at left, may resemble a woman’s mantle, but are made and used differently. Indigenous people in Perú and Bolivia fill them with special items and lay them on the ground during important ceremonies,…

This faja, Spanish for belt, represents the extreme intertwining of tradition and change found in contemporary Andean weaving. It is woven with neon-bright polyester thread, yet in a doublecloth technique common during the pre-Hispanic period.…