Painting Textiles: The Power of Cloth in Colonial Peru

Julia McHugh, Trent A. Carmichael Director of Academic Initiatives and Curator of Arts of the Americas, Nasher Museum of Art, Duke University The representation of textiles—rendered with striking detail and often gold embellishment—functioned as a key visual strategy in paintings of the Spanish Americas, especially within the Cusco School. This talk will focus on the adornment of women, including the Virgin Mary, saints, and elites, and draws on both paintings and archival sources to trace the circulation and value of European and Indigenous textiles throughout the Viceroyalty of Peru. By depicting locally recognizable fabrics and materials, Andean artists localized European imagery and helped position Cusco as a major artistic center in the colonial art market. Bob and Jean Smith Auditorium. Space is limited; register online in advance. Meadows Museum members: Free. SMU students/faculty/staff: Free. Non-members, Paperless Pass: $10.