La Tapada
Location: Lima
Description:
This lithograph comes from a work of illustrations of the city of Lima, Peru in the mid nineteenth century. La Tapada means literally "covered" in Spanish. She is thus named because of her completely covering dress: she is decked out from head to toe in thick, richly decorated fabric. Her full-skirted dress is a beautiful deep blue with a floral print overlay just short enough to give us a glimpse of her white satin shoes. Her full costume lends the air of a privileged woman, and indicates her social class.
She wears two traditional garments, the saya and the manto. We find a detailed and insightful description of these garments in Lady Emmeline Stuart Wortley's Travels in the United States. The saya is a "silken or satin petticoat, stitched neatly in very narrow plaits, and thickly quilted and lined." This is the dark blue skirt visible in the present image. She then goes on to describe the manto and the customs of a woman such as La Tapada.
"a black silk veil, of impenetrable thickness, drawn up from under the waist of the silken saya...as a sort of hood very much resembling the Maltese faldetta (and no doubt both have originated from Moorish costume and customs) though so much more concealing the face. All the upper part of the form is thus closely covered and disguised, except the one eye. One hand is occupied in holding this manto firmly across the masked face, and the other from time to time may possibly be allowed to pass through a little opening in the manto... The embroidered ends of a many colored scarf or shawl are permitted to pass through this same opening, generally fringed and flowered. All wear satin shoes and silk stockings" (388).
The beauty of the wearer and costume are both evident in this image. The demure costume indicates a lady of leisure, and Lady Wortley's insightful comments lend a first hand account to our second hand viewing.
Book Title: Recuerdos de Lima: Album
Call Number: F3451.L7 B34 1856