El Indio de la Sierra
Location: Lima
Description:
The intricately illustrated Indio de la Sierra is a pitiable character, bent under the weight of his heavy load. His attire is an eclectic mix of native and European style clothing. His sandals, hat and shirt are clearly of the native traditional sort. The sandals with a leather strap were typical of the native peoples of the region. His shirt bears the native designs that would be found in native hand-made clothing, as does the cap that he wears beneath his wide-brimmed hat. He wears the hat and sandals to protect himself on his long journeys through the mountains.
The breeches and stockings are difficult to define in terms of origin. The breeches seem to be a loose-fitting reinterpretation of the usually European style of pants. The stockings are similar to protective garments that we have seen in other regions, specifically mountainous Chile. The vest that he wears is clearly European.
This eclectic assortment of garments lends us an interesting perspective on the development of costume in South America. The natives were clearly interesting in preserving their own traditional style of clothing, but were also eager to embrace the new possibilities introduced by the European settlers. For this particular man, as for several of the characters that we encounter, the most important determining factor in terms of dress would be practicality.
Book Title: Recuerdos de Lima: Album
Call Number: F3451.L7 B34 1856