Dallas Museum of Art Bulletin, Spring 1984 Page: 13
29 p. : ill. ; 26 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Maya Textiles from Guatemala
With the acquisition in December 1983 of the Patsy R.
and Raymond D. Nasher Collection of Maya Textiles from
Guatemala, a gift of Patsy R. and Raymond D. Nasher, the
Dallas Museum of Art's representation of twentieth
century Guatemalan textiles is established as one of the
finest in this country Consisting of an initial gift of 390
textiles and related objects from 50 communities and a
subsequent gift of 26 textiles, the collection covers a
time period of about 100 years, approximately 1875 to
1975, with a significant portion dating from the 1930s
and earlier.
Guatemalan textiles were woven primarily as garments
and as useful cloths, and the collection includes both the
generally simpler pieces for everyday wear and the often
lavishly decorated textitles worn on ceremonial occa-
sions. Some of the finest Guatemalan textiles were made
for use by members of the cofradias, religious brother-
hoods organized under the Catholic Church and dedi-
cated to the care of a locally venerated saint. Certain
headcloths and huipils (the tunic-like blouse) were worn
only when a man or woman served in these organiza-
tions, distinguishing the wearer in ceremonies and pro-
cessions. But there were also special cloths for wrapping
candles and for covering altars, tables, or the litter that
bore the figure of the patron saint in processions. And
there were miniature garments for the figures of the
saints, often presented as offerings. The special impor-
tance of the Nasher Collection lies in the number and
excellence of its cofradia textiles.
Although Pasty Nasher had long been interested in
textiles, she began collecting examples of traditional
Guatemalan weaving in 1974. She responded to the
pieces first as beautiful visual statements, and esthetic
quality has remained the primary criterion in her selec-
tion. But she also recognized that the textiles represent
the survival of an art form which had great importance-. - A- -- -
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Cofradia huipil
Tecpin Guatemala, probably 1920-1940
Natural brown cotton, silk
L 21/ in. x w 53 2 in.
1983.257Womnanc leaclcloth or carrying cloth (su 't), detail
Santo Tomis Chichicastenango, probably 1930s
Cotton, silk, and wool
L 50o in. x w 44 in.
1983.335for the ancient Maya, that the shape and the use of many
of these pieces provide intriguing links between the Maya
of today and their ancestors of pre-Columbian times.
The collection is an appropriate and impressive com-
plement for the Museums textiles from pre-Columbian
Peru. It is a splendid celebration of the twentieth century
Maya culture of Guatemala for the new Dallas Museum
of Art.
Selected works from the Nasher Collection will be
displayed on a rotating basis in the Latin American area of
the third floor galleries. The remainder of the collection
will be housed in the Study Room for Works on Paper
and Textiles, where it will be available to interested visi-
tors by appointment.
Carol Robbins
Associate Curator---:.- i.:. -- - . g. "
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Dallas Museum of Art. Dallas Museum of Art Bulletin, Spring 1984, periodical, Spring 1984; Dallas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth224954/m1/15/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Dallas Museum of Art.