A Chimu Textile Panel...

Description

A Chimu Textile Panel
Pachacamac District, Peru, Late Intermediate Period - Late Horizon, c. 1100-1500 AD

This magnificent tapestry weave panel presents squares framing the ancient Andean Staff God (the Inca Viracocha) in alternating frontal and side views. This was the main creator god, holding in his hands staffs representing instruments of power. The frontal figures are garbed in red ensembles: short tunics with dotted boxes, dots down the sleeves and leggings. The profile figures wear similar outfits in black, but their tunics are longer. The headdresses are biconical in shape, with a crescentic feather panache at top. The borders have felines and birds. In good condition; this has numerous repairs, some possibly from ancient times. It is mounted to linen with missing sections painted on the linen, especially on the far left middle dark brown square, in order to present it as an aesthetic whole. In an acrylic box.

Provenance:
A Private Collection, New York, NY, acquired in 1991
Merrin Gallery, New York, NY

Published and exhibited:
The Miracle of Ancient Peru, Merrin Gallery, New York, 1988, pages 24-25, plate 13.

Dimensions: 31 x 25 inches; 32 x 26 inches, including acrylic box



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