Andean Tapestry

Introduction

At the time of the Spanish conquest of Peru, both the Inca and the Europeans produced fine tapestries for their elite [1]. When the Spanish took over Peru, indigenous tapestry weavers continued producing tapestries under Spanish patronage [1]. These weavers adopted new European weaving techniques that had drastic practical and cultural implications for the weavers: transitioning from interlocking every weft color to making dovetail joints between regions of different colors allowed multiple weavers to work on the same piece simultaneously, creating a new model for tapestry production, and cutting the warp threads at one end instead of chaining off warp loops not only made the weaving process easier, but also had cultural implications that required integration into preexisting indigenous rituals. Additionally, the introduction of new weaving materials, such as silk and sheep's wool, expanded the options available to indigenous tapestry weavers, but their willingness or unwillingness to incorporate these new materials reflects a consistent concern for quality, rather than wholesale adoption of all things European.

This exhibit focuses on tapestry, but there are many other types of textiles that could be discussed. The indigenous backstrap weaving tradition and Colonial obrajes, textile factories which employed indigenous women in dismal working conditions, would each warrant an exhibit of their own. While there is overlap between different types of textiles—as evidenced by the object below, which incorporates embroidery in addition to three distinct types of weaving—there are also differences, and the arguments put forward here apply specifically to tapestry and should not be extended to other types of textiles.

This exhibit explores the changes that took place in indigenous Andean tapestry production in the transition from Inca to European patronage and examines the cultural as well as practical implications of these changes.

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