Piña Textiles: Technical Study of a 19th-Century Group of Philippines Textiles made of “Red Spanish Pineapple” Fiber
Talk by Met Textile Conservation Fellow Alejandra Flores Paredes
Online via Zoom and In-person at The Met Fifth Avenue
Thursday, May 16, 2024 1-3 PM EST
Presented as part of the event, Met Fellows Present: Research Out Loud
Join the Met Textile Conservation department on Thursday May 16 to hear Met Textile Conservation Fellow Alejandra Flores Paredes present her research: Piña Textiles: Technical Study of a 19th-Century Group of Philippines Textiles made of “Red Spanish Pineapple” Fiber.
Piña textile is the weave made of the “Red Spanish pineapple” fiber in the Philippines. In the nineteenth century, Philippines piña textiles became a symbol of national identity that reflected the significance of women’s weaving skills within the multicultural, historical context of this time.
This talk presents the technical analysis and identification of the “Red Spanish pineapple” fiber of a group of piña textiles from the European Sculpture and Decorative Arts collection. This group includes elements such as blouses, sleeves, and kerchiefs from the Philippines’ national costume, called Baro’ t saya.
The research aim is to characterize the morphological aspect of “Red Spanish pineapple” fiber implied in the piña textiles weaving. As a result, a unique visual and descriptive database of this under-investigated fiber will be established and eventually available to scholars worldwide. By conducting this analysis combined with an investigation of the weaving and embroidery techniques applied to the piña textiles, the research will contribute to their study from a technical perspective, while emphasizing their weaving technology as a combination of interaction between the Spanish and native wear of the Philippines’ traditions.
Finally, the talk will introduce a selection of piña textiles from the group mentioned above for upcoming conservation treatment and plan for display in The Met Museum galleries.
