Half of a Tabard
1250-1450
Medium
Cotton, plain weave; embellished with feathers (likely from Chilean flamigos, macaws, and Muscovy ducks) knotted and attached with cotton in overcast stitches
Dimensions
75.3 × 75.6 cm (29 5/8 × 29 3/4 in.)
Classification
featherwork
Department
Textiles
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
85514
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
The absence of cultural information about this feathered garment (and the other two featherworks in our collection: 1955.1778 and 1955.1783) demonstrates what knowledge was lost because of undocumented excavations—especially those that took place in the late 19th century before modern archaeological practices were established. Early collectors rarely kept as robust records as someone might today. Nonetheless, these miraculously well-preserved feathered garments remain a testament to Indigenous c...
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...