Minneapolis Institute of Art

Saltillo Serape

Mexico

Date

19th century

Medium

Wool, cotton, tapestry weave

Department

Arts of the Americas

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

Costly thy habit as they purse can buy, for the apparel oft proclaims the man, was as true for the 19th century gentleman caballero who wore this elegant serape as for the Englishman of Shakespeare's own time. The extended drape and bold coloration would have created a dramatic presentation, whether on horseback or strolling through the towns of Northern Mexico. Made in workshops of large haciendas and often traded through the town of Saltillo, these dramatic serapes were seen in such distant markets as New Mexico in the United States. They are considered to be part of the inspiration for the eye-dazzler weaving tradition of the Navajo. México, Americas

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