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Leather Art Museum

Hispano-American art

General view of the area housing objects of Hispano-American origin.

General view of the area housing objects of Hispano-American origin.

With the establishment of the colonists in Spanish America, the new continent was introduced to the European tradition of leatherwork. The colonists arrived with their belongings in large leather-lined trunks to protect them from the inclemency of the long voyage. At the beginning, they brought both already-tanned leather and leather objects and utensils from the Iberian Peninsula, but the leather-working techniques soon caught on and the indigenous populations’ themes and ways of working were incorporated.

In Mexico and Peru, a considerable leather industry was developed with the advent of two new types of containers, baskets and cases, decorated with local motifs. Most of the leather-lined cane baskets decorated with embroidery, fretwork or leather strip applications are Mexican, whereas in Peru the traditional technique of carving hard wood with thick, deep lines was applied.

OBJECTS

<p>Mexican <em>petaca</em> or travel basket from the 18th century, wood embroidered with American aloe yarn, wrought iron and fretwork and cane, 50 &times; 72 &times; 47 cm, Mexico.&nbsp;Leather Art Museum. Vic.</p>

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Basket
Basket
<p>A trunk with painted scenes of the colonisation, 18th century, polychromed leather, wood and wrought iron, 43 &times; 105 &times; 55 cm, Peru.&nbsp;Leather Art Museum. Vic.</p>

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Trunk
Trunk
<p>A 17th century inkstand in wood covered with embossed leather and wooden inserts, 31 &times; 91 &times; 40 cm, Peru.&nbsp;Leather Art Museum. Vic.</p>

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Inkstand
Inkstand
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