A Chimu Feathered Panel...

Description

A Chimu Feathered Panel
Peru, c. 1100-1400 AD

Domestic parrot and macaw feathers tied onto a cotton gauze textile panel in two sections; the upper with all orange feathers, the lower with orange and blue feathers. Mounted to a linen-covered wood panel. In good condition, appropriate for its age, origin, and materials.

Such panels composed whole or parts of garments worn by elite members of Chimu society. The feathers were harvested from domesticated macaws and parrots from the tropical forests of South America. Because they were transported across the treacherous peaks of the Andes, the feathers were extremely rare and valuable and would only have been available to the most elite members of the Pre-Columbian societies of coastal Peru. Thus, the feathered garment would have been a sumptuous emblem of power, wealth, and prestige. The dark and arid conditions in the ancient city ruins and tombs protected the tunic, thereby allowing the vibrant colors and bold motifs to endure.

Provenance:
Walter Crawford, Scottsdale, AZ, before 1960

Dimensions: panel, 46 x 20 inches; frame, 51 ½ x 25 ½ inches

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