Tunic: Winged Anthropomorphic Beings

Remaining hidden from view since its acquisition in the 1940s, this tunic was worn by a deceased individual, then turned into a “collector’s piece” by unpicking its side seams and closing up its neckline. The Wari were masters of the art of tapestry, a weaving technique in which the weft threads completely cover those of the warp. Worn by men of high rank, such tunics fascinated collectors who valued the “modernity” of the geometric distortion of their polychrome patterns. The pattern chosen for this piece, the fineness of the execution of its weaving and the presence of indigo blue, the most prestigious of pigments, testify to its significance.