Embroidery

NameEmbroidery; textile

Maker Policarpio Valencia

CultureHispano

Datebefore 1931

Place madeSanta Cruz, New Mexico, United States, North America

MediumCotton

Dimensions(not specified): 53 15/16 x 47 1/4 in. (137 x 120 cm)

Credit LineGift of the Historical Society of New Mexico, former collection of H. Cady Wells, Museum of International Folk Art (A5.2000.47)

Object numberA5.2000.47

ProvenanceH. Cady Wells of the Rio Grande Painters Group first acquired this embroidery from his neighbor in Truchas, New Mexico. He later sold it to Eleanor Bedell, who operated an antique shop with Susan Girard, wife of the designer Alexander Girard, on East Palace Avenue in downtown Santa Fe. In 1950, E. Boyd (Curator of Spanish Colonial Arts at the Museum of New Mexico) bought it for the museum from Bedell for $50 (about $587 today) with funds from the Historical Society of New Mexico.

DescriptionValencia’s abstract and improvisational embroidery completely obscures the striped fabric underneath. This commercial machine-woven textile may have originally served as a tablecloth in the Valencia home. Along one border, Valencia stitched the phrase “sobremesa antigua,” meaning literally “old tablecloth.” However, “sobremesa” is also an idiomatic phrase that can refer to “delightful conversation,” as one enjoys while sitting around a dinner table with friends and family after a shared meal.

The juxtaposition of meanings in his inscription “sobremesa antigua,” implying “old delightful conversation,” reflects Valencia’s love of wordplay, but it could also be understood as a commentary on changing norms. In his embroidered messages, Valencia often describes his intention to record for “future memory” elements of cultural life fast disappearing. He also warns against vices, like envy and ambition, that could lead to social disharmony.

Transcription:
April 2, 1925, I started putting white thread on this blanket on
which you will see a certain collection
of animals, some of which are already rare for our times and
others which [still] exist now
for domestic use, but I have pictured those animals here to be
remembered. Those
[animals] that served mankind in the past were the buffalo, the
horse, the donkey,
the mule and the ox, the sheep and goat, the bison (with its meat
that sustained the people). The donkey
the mule, carrying loads of commercial goods on its back to trade,
traveling over long distances and over mountains. They were
mishandled or mistreated with a whip. The ox pulling
in front with a pole tied to its horns. This was a yoke. Two [oxen]
were bound to the yoke, and they
were driven with a cattle prod. This was a pointed stick. The man
on his horse, with his courage and a lance in his
hand, made use of the buffalo. And the sheep and the goat, with
their hair and hide, they would clothe their masters, and, with their
meat and milk, fed the people.
August 20, 1925, these blue letters give you the names of animals
depicted
on this blanket. By paying close attention, you will fi nd bison,
bears, wolves,
deer, pronghorn, lion, birds, camel, pig, coyotes, foxes, skunks,
cattle, oxen, calves,
donkeys, mule hybrid, sheep, and goats. Also plow and winnowing
screen, handbarrow, implements used in earlier times.
stag, doe, pronghorn buck, pronghorn doe, donkey, cow, pig,
female donkey, little donkey
winnowing screen
plow
cattle prod
handbarrow
bison, wolf, nanny goat, billy goat, sheep, hens
she-mule, little lamb, ox, lion, bear, camel, little mule, donkey,
coyote, cow, calf, he-mule
Policarpio Valencia

Transcripción:
Abril 2 del año de 1925[,] comencé a poner hilo blanco en esta
cobija en la cual verá ud cierta coleción
de animales[,] de los cuales ya barios son raros en esta época y
otros esisten ahora
en uso doméstico[,] pero llo he fi gurado ayi animales para
recuerdo fotoro[.] Los
que prestaron serbisio al hombre anteriormente fueron el síbolo[,]
el caballo[,] el buro[,]
la mula y el buey[,] y la borrega y cabra[,] el sibolo con su carne
surtia la nasion. El buro[,]
la mula[,] con carga en el espinaso cambiando objetos comerciales
de distansia
muy larga y por sieras caminaban[.] Y manejados o tratados mal
con garote[.] Y el bu[e]y jalando
primero con un palo atado a los cuernos[.] Era llugo[.] Dos
priendian al lluso[,] y les
picaban con un topil[.] Era una bara puntiada[.] El hombre en el
caballo[,] con su balor y una lansa en su
mano[,] asi a uso del sibolo[.] Y la borega y la cabra[,] con su
pelo y cuero[,] y vestian a sus amos y con su carne y leches[,] se
alimenta la nasion[.]
Agosto 10 de 1925[,] esta letra asul le da a ud los nombres de
animales que se allan fi gurados
en esta cobija[.] Poniendo buen cuidado[,] allaran sibolo[,]
osos[,] lobos[,] bennados[,]
berendos[,] lion[,] abes[,] camello[,] serdo[,] collotes[,]
soras[,] sorio[,] bacas[,] buelles[,] beseros[,]
buros[,] bestias mulares[,] boregas[,] y cabras[.] Tambien arado y
criba[,] pariguela[,] material que se usaba antes[.]
benado[,] benada[,] verendo[,] berenda[,] buro[,] vaca[,] serdo[,]
vuba[,] vurito
criba
arado
topil
pariguela
sibolo[,] lobo[,] cabra[,] cabromeso[,] vereda[,] gayinas
mula[,] boregito[,] vuelle[,] lion[,] oso[,] camello[,] machito[,]
buro[,] collote[,] vaca[,] vesero[,] macho
Policarpio Valencia