Maya Miniatures: Textiles for the Saints among the Contemporary Maya in Guatemala

GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The cult of the saints came to Guatemala in the 16th century when the invading Spanish introduced Christianity. A Roman Catholic saint became the patron of each town, and his or her Spanish name was often coupled with the indigenous name of the community.  Other saints were also venerated locally, each served by a religious brotherhood, or "cofradía," whose members arranged feast day celebrations, carried images of the saints in processions, and presented textiles as offerings.  Vestments for the saints were often miniature versions of actual garments, including the "huipil" or tuniclike blouse, the shirt, the headcloth, and the sash. 

Like their prototypes, these textiles were woven on a backstrap looma simple, portable combination of sticks, cords, and strap, which is used today as it was in pre-Hispanic times.  Designs were usually achieved by the addition of extra, or supplementary, wefts during the weaving.  Colors, including their configuration in stripes, and motifs often identify the community where a textile was woven.  A red cotton ground with lengthwise (warp) stripes in purple, yellow, and naturally pigmented brown are characteristic of several textiles from San Juan Sacatepéquez, a community northwest of Guatemala City, as are the frontal double-headed bird, profile deer, and profile bird with flag wing. 

Excerpt from
Carol Robbins, "Huipil, probably for a figure of the Virgin of the Rosary (1982.145)," Dallas Museum of Art: A Guide to the Collection, ed. Suzanne Kotz (Dallas: Dallas Museum of Art, 1997), 202.

NOTES
NOTE: Please use image in DMA collections. (See rules)

ASSOCIATED CONTENT CHUNKS

AUDIO ASSETS 

VIDEO ASSETS  

IMAGE ASSETS 

WEB RESOURCES 

ARCHIVAL RESOURCES 

FUN FACTS 

TEACHING IDEAS 

RULES
SET OPERATOR AS OR
Apply to objects where number equals 1982.158
Apply to objects where number equals 1983.210
Apply to objects where number equals 1983.187
Apply to objects where number equals 1983.188
Apply to objects where number equals 1983.189
Apply to objects where number equals 1983.190
Apply to objects where number equals 1983.191
Apply to objects where number equals 1983.192
Apply to objects where number equals 1983.193
Apply to objects where number equals 1983.194
Apply to objects where number equals 1983.195


Category
rules_operator
OR
General Description
The cult of the saints came to Guatemala in the 16th century when the invading Spanish introduced Christianity. A Roman Catholic saint became the patron of each town, and his or her Spanish name was often coupled with the indigenous name of the community.  Other saints were also venerated locally, each served by a religious brotherhood, or "cofradía," whose members arranged feast day celebrations, carried images of the saints in processions, and presented textiles as offerings.  Vestments for the saints were often miniature versions of actual garments, including the "huipil" or tuniclike blouse, the shirt, the headcloth, and the sash. 

Like their prototypes, these textiles were woven on a backstrap looma simple, portable combination of sticks, cords, and strap, which is used today as it was in pre-Hispanic times.  Designs were usually achieved by the addition of extra, or supplementary, wefts during the weaving.  Colors, including their configuration in stripes, and motifs often identify the community where a textile was woven.  A red cotton ground with lengthwise (warp) stripes in purple, yellow, and naturally pigmented brown are characteristic of several textiles from San Juan Sacatepéquez, a community northwest of Guatemala City, as are the frontal double-headed bird, profile deer, and profile bird with flag wing. 

Excerpt from
Carol Robbins, "Huipil, probably for a figure of the Virgin of the Rosary (1982.145)," Dallas Museum of Art: A Guide to the Collection, ed. Suzanne Kotz (Dallas: Dallas Museum of Art, 1997), 202.

Fun Facts
 
Archival Resources
 
Web Resources
 

Notes
NOTE: Please use image in DMA collections. (See rules)

rules
Apply To
Objects
number
Equals
1982.158
Apply To
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number
Equals
1983.210
Apply To
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number
Equals
1983.187
Apply To
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number
Equals
1983.188
Apply To
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number
Equals
1983.189
Apply To
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number
Equals
1983.190
Apply To
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number
Equals
1983.191
Apply To
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number
Equals
1983.192
Apply To
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Equals
1983.193
Apply To
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Equals
1983.194
Apply To
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Equals
1983.195
tags
#draft
#completed
@Higgins
Maya: AAT: 300017826
tributes (economic concepts / social science concepts): AAT: 300404872
offering (tribute/payment/economic concepts/social science concepts): AAT: 300417700
#routed
Christianity: AAT: 300073711
religious objects: AAT: 300234098
textiles (visual works): AAT: 300014063
%copyedited_Jennie
*Latin American Art
miniature (size): AAT: 300121995
colonization: AAT: 300055402
weaving: AAT: 300053642
silk (textile): AAT: 300243428
warp: AAT: 300227930
weft: AAT: 300227934
cotton (fiber): AAT: 300183670
folk art (traditional art): 300056487
Guatemala (nation): TGN: 7005493
clothing: AAT: 300266639
Guatemala (department/Guatemala): TGN: 1000621
San Juan Sacatepéquez (Guatemala): TGN: 1016706
selvedge (textile components): AAT: 300227893
cult images (religious visual works): AAT: 300178240
cult objects (religious objects): AAT: 300178245
Roman Catholicism (Christianity): AAT: 300073730
cults (group or movement): AAT: 300251847
cult of the Virgin (group or movement): DMA
cult of the saints (group or movement): DMA
huipils (tunics / main garments): AAT: 300410449
Native Highland Mexican and Guatemalan styles: AAT: 300017825
Kaqchikel (Kachiquel) Maya (Native Highland Mexican and Guatemalan styles): DMA
motifs: AAT: 300009700
backstrap looms (textile tools): AAT: 300023507
saints: AAT: 300150555
source file
in_focus-0214.xml.nores