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Headcloth Fragment

A work made of cotton, gauze weave; embroidered with cotton in simple looping stitch.
CC0 Public Domain Designation

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  • A work made of cotton, gauze weave; embroidered with cotton in simple looping stitch.

Date:

1000/1476

Artist:

Chancay
Central coast, Peru

About this artwork

This extraordinary fragment from a headcloth, with its fineness of thread and complex construction, exemplifies Chancay gauze weaving. In Chancay culture, gauze weave relates to the tradition of coastal fishing, as the art form likely grew out of techniques associated with the making of fishing nets. This fragment displays two feline heads linked to the same body. Peru is home to a variety of wild cats, including the jaguar, puma, and pampas cat. These predatory felines were feared as well as worshipped, and they are associated with a wide range of Peruvian beliefs pertaining to ceremonial practices, the supernatural realm, astronomy, and the power of rulers.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Textiles

Culture

Chancay

Title

Headcloth Fragment

Place

Peru (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 1000–1476

Medium

Cotton, gauze weave; embroidered with cotton in simple looping stitch

Dimensions

32.4 × 39.4 cm (12 3/4 × 15 1/2 in.)

Credit Line

Gift of Mrs. Chauncey B. Borland

Reference Number

1954.219

IIIF Manifest  The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world.

Learn more.

https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/80403/manifest.json

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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