Tunic (Shirt) with Tapestry-woven Yoke

650–850

Tunic (Shirt) with Tapestry-woven Yoke, 650–850. Central Andes, Northern Central Coast. Camelid fiber and cotton; tapestry-weave yoke and chest plaque, plain-weave body; overall: 71.1 x 100 cm (28 x 39 3/8 in.); mounted: 86.4 x 116.8 cm (34 x 46 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of J. H. Wade 1925.668 Likely an item of men’s wear, this tunic displays a variety of motifs. In the rectangle at the center of the chest is a frontal figure that repeats eight times; it stands out for its relatively large size and somewhat more curvilinear style. Everything else is right-angled, including the small figures in flanking positions and the birds in the borders. The patterned sections are woven in the tapestry technique, which allows the creation of curved lines; thus, the geometric style is an artistic choice.