OUR COLLECTION — LATIN AMERICA — PARAGUAY 523. PALO SANTO HOLY FAMILY TRIPTYCH
This Holy Family triptych was hand-carved by Nivacle Indians using techniques handed down from generation to generation, originally taught to them by 16th century Catholic missionaries. The wood is fragrant Palo Santo (meaning “Holy Wood” in Spanish). Palo Santo (Bulnesia Sarmientoi) can be green to brown or beige and has a unique grain and pleasant smell. The tree belongs to the same family (Burseraceae) as frankincense and myrrh. The triptych measures 4.75 inches tall.
The item is a gift from a neighbor who lived in Paraguay as a missionary; she purchased it in a market in the Mariscal Lopez neighborhood of Asuncion.
The traditional Paraguayan embroidered lace under the Holy Family is Ñandutí (pronounced nyan-doo-TI). The name means “spider web” in Guaraní, the indigenous language of Paraguay. The Nanduti lace design is generally characterized by a spoke-like structure of foundation threads upon which many basic patterns are embroidered. This structure, resembling a spider web or the rays of the sun, is usually made on fabric which is stretched tightly in a frame. When finished, the thread motifs are released by either cutting the running stitches or carefully cutting away the backing fabric.
The item is a gift from a neighbor who lived in Paraguay as a missionary; she purchased it in a market in the Mariscal Lopez neighborhood of Asuncion.
The traditional Paraguayan embroidered lace under the Holy Family is Ñandutí (pronounced nyan-doo-TI). The name means “spider web” in Guaraní, the indigenous language of Paraguay. The Nanduti lace design is generally characterized by a spoke-like structure of foundation threads upon which many basic patterns are embroidered. This structure, resembling a spider web or the rays of the sun, is usually made on fabric which is stretched tightly in a frame. When finished, the thread motifs are released by either cutting the running stitches or carefully cutting away the backing fabric.
