This huipil, a type of traditional garment, is laid flat, showing its rectangular shape with arm openings at the upper side seams, and a vertical neck slit centered at the top. The cotton is a creamy color, with five vertical purple stripes. A stripe runs along the left edge; a short stripe runs along the upper right edge; two stripes divide the huipil into thirds; a split stripe at center runs almost to the bottom, ending in a little tuft of fringe. The center panel is decorated with pairs of purple stylized animals, arranged in rows.

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Object Timeline

1950	Work on this object ended.
1976	We acquired this object.
2007	We photographed this object.
2014	We photographed this object.
2018	We exhibited this object.
2024	You found it!

Huipil (Mexico)

This is a Huipil. It is dated 1900–1950 and we acquired it in 1976. Its medium is cotton and its technique is discontinuous supplementary wefts in a plain in a plain weave foundation; supplementary warp in center panel. It is a part of the Textiles department.

The pattern on this traditional women’s huipil is made with magenta threads colored with the shellfish dye of the marine snail pilcopurpura pansa. Mixtec men activate the snail’s defense mechanism by manually irritating a gland, causing it to release a liquid that is then applied directly to the cotton thread.

This object was donated by Max Saltzman. It is credited Gift of Max Saltzman.