The story of Large Chancay Totem

The Large Chancay Totem organizes the gaze vertically. Wood-like surfaces and the inlays described by the workshop encourage a close reading of the figure and its contrasts.

Historical and archaeological context

The Metropolitan Museum of Art preserves a Chancay cotton headcloth dated to the twelfth–fifteenth centuries. Its open gauze and interlocking figures offer a reference for exploring this textile tradition (The Metropolitan Museum of Art, s. f.)

The offered work is a contemporary handmade creation. The cultural reference does not identify it with the museum object or make every detail a reproduction of a specific archaeological find.

Workshop memory and technical process

Papier-mâché with a finish recalling wood; jasper, onyx and wood. Pedestal or freestanding Shadow Box presentation, according to the workshop.

Components and finishes are described for the current model. Materials and procedures not documented in the record are not attributed to the work.

Artwork identification record

Title

Large Chancay Totem

Artist of the work

Jaime Fernando Zapata Espinoza

Workshop reference

TCH-01

Dimensions (height × width × depth)

44 × 14 × 6 cm

Approximate weight

Not recorded; confirm with the workshop.

Series date

Series date is not recorded in the current product record.

From the story to acquisition

Consult the product record for current price, variants and availability. The workshop confirms presentation, documentation and shipping for each destination.

Sources and references

The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Metropolitan Museum of Art, s. f.).

Peruvian Arts & Crafts. (2026). Current workshop product record: TCH-01.