Border Fragment
1000-1476
Medium
Cotton, slit tapestry weave; edged with plain weave with extended weft uncut fringe; joined to plain weave
Dimensions
47 × 33.3 cm (18 1/2 × 13 1/8 in.)
Classification
weaving
Department
Textiles
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
85290
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
This fragment depicts a column of felines paired with their mirror images, along with smaller representations of abstracted fish or birds, framed by a vertical motif that recalls undulating waves. Peru is home to a variety of predatory felines, including the jaguar, puma and pampas cat, which were feared for their hunting skill and worshipped for their ties to the otherworldly powers of the nocturnal world. Rulers throughout the ancient Andean realm expressed their identities as warriors and pro...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...