Minneapolis Institute of Art

Ceremonial over-blouse (sobrehuipil)

Maya artist

Date

1910–30

Medium

Cotton, synthetic

Culture

Maya

Department

Arts of the Americas

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

This sobrehuipil's horizontal bands of burgundy and gold are hallmarks of huipiles from San Pedro Sacatepéquez. Symbolic of longevity, the distinctive pattern is associated with the sacred ceiba tree, the axis mundi that connects the upper, middle and underworlds. The typical ceremonial sobrehuipil from San Pedro Sacatepéquez was fabricated in two panels, hand-embroidered down the center, and left open at the sides. This huipil is unusual in that it retains none of those characteristics. Even more unusual is the inclusion of a non-matching third panel, seen at right. The reason for its inclusion is unclear, but perhaps the owner lovingly pieced together a new garment to salvage a worn but sentimental huipil. She then creatively adorned her new huipil with imported lace and ribbon. Maya, Guatemala, Americas

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