Art Institute of Chicago

Moqui-Style Sarape

Navajo (Diné)

Date

c. 1870

Medium

Wool, single interlocking tapestry weave; two selvages present

Culture

Navajo

Department

Textiles

Institution

Art Institute of Chicago

The Spanish-derived word sarape is used to identify blankets made throughout the greater Southwest and Mexico that are longe then they are wide and traditionally are worn around the shoulders like a shawl. This exceptionally fine example displays many attributes associated with classic Navajo textiles, including its traditional tapestry weave, the augmented tassels placed at the corners, and the twining that appears along the edges. The design is based upon Moki-style textiles, which were typically woven with alternating blue-and-brown lines often accented with additional bands of white. Although the name given to this style derives from the Spanish term for the Hopi ( Moki or Moqui ), these patterns found favor among Pueblo and Navajo weavers and are one of the oldest designs that appear in Navajo textiles. Demonstrating the creativity and cultural identity of the artist, this sarape blends Moki design traits with a distinctly Navajo signature—that of bold crimson banding superimposed over the subtle striping.

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