Maya Textiles of Guatemala

Description

Schevill, Margot Blum with an historical essay by Christopher H. Lutz
Maya Textiles of Guatemala
1993 University of Texas Press, Austin
295 pp. 159 color plates 75 black and white 112 figures 8.5 x 12 Hardback without dustjacket in Very Good condition.
A social-cultural history of Mayan textiles in Guatamala based on the 1902 Gustavus A. Eisen Collection at the Hearst Museum of Anthropology, University of California Berkeley. 222 textiles and garments from the 19th century are shown and described. Includes introductory texts on the expressive nature of Mayan textiles, the history of the collection, a biography of Gustave A. Eisen and the social aspects of textile production.
In an informative and beautifully illustrated book, Schevill sets forth copious research that serves to enhance the visual impact of these Guatemalan textiles located at Berkeley's Hearst Museum. It is both a detailed anthropological study, which delves into aspects of Mayan culture and examines historical and sociological forces brought to bear on Mayan communities of Guatemala, and a catalog of the stunning collections, containing descriptions of techniques, dying processes, and textile production. Schevill also presents a fascinating if brief biography of Gustavus Eisen, the Swedish American scientist whose journeys to Guatemala were supported by Phoebe Hearst. This comprehensive collection of textiles includes many admirable woven and embroidered objects and garments of breathtaking design. -Alice Joyce, Booklist