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Married Woman's Pot or Huipil (Blouse)

A work made of cotton and silk, plain weave with patterning and brocading wefts; joined with cotton in cretan and cross stitches; appliquéd with cellulose acetate, plain weave; embroidered with silk in chain stitches; metal buttons.

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  • A work made of cotton and silk, plain weave with patterning and brocading wefts; joined with cotton in cretan and cross stitches; appliquéd with cellulose acetate, plain weave; embroidered with silk in chain stitches; metal buttons.

Date:

Early to mid-20th century

Artist:

K’iche’ Maya
San Tomás Chichicastenango, Guatemala

About this artwork

Women weave traditional Maya blouses such as this one on a backstrap loom, a skill taught by the goddess of the moon and childbirth. Because this method is thought to imbue the cloth with a life force, Maya weavings are never cut but rather woven to shape. Made from shades of natural (undyed) cotton, this shirt’s embellishments communicate the wearer’s identity and status within her community and place her at the center of the K’iche’ sacred landscape. The radiating embroidery around the neckline—a marker of huipils made in Chichicastenango—represents the sun, and the appliquéd black silk rounds with attached silver coins on the shoulder refer to the moon.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Textiles

Culture

Maya

Title

Married Woman's Pot or Huipil (Blouse)

Place

Guatemala (Object made in)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

Made 1900–1950

Medium

Cotton and silk, plain weave with patterning and brocading wefts; joined with cotton in cretan and cross stitches; appliquéd with cellulose acetate, plain weave; embroidered with silk in chain stitches; metal buttons

Dimensions

72.1 × 87 cm (28 3/8 × 34 1/4 in.)

Credit Line

Gift of Claire Zeisler

Reference Number

1953.301

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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