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What is 'La tapada limeña'?
Here's a diary entry about 'La tapada limeña'
from Charles Darwin, dated August 1st 1835:
'There are two things in Lima, which all Travellers have discussed;
the ladies 'tapadas', or concealed in the 'saya y Manta', and fruit
called 'Chilimoya'. To my mind the former is as beautiful as the latter
is delicious. The close elastic gown fits the figure closely and obliges
the ladies to walk with small steps which they do very elegantly and
display very white silk stockings and very pretty feet. They wear a
black silk veil, which is fixed round the waist behind, is brought over
the head, and held by the hands before the face, allowing only one eye
to remain uncovered. But then that one eye is so black and brilliant
and has such powers of motion and expression, that its effect is very
powerful. Altogether the ladies are so metamorphised; that I at first
felt as much surprised, as if I had been introduced amongst a number
of nice round mermaids, or any other such beautiful animal. And
certainly they are better worth looking at than all the churches
and buildings in Lima'.
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The Chilimoya fruit
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Two of Syms Covington’s watercolours of the ladies
of Lima, showing the costume that captivated Darwin
See more of Sym Convington's sketches, mainly
of national costumes from Peru, ca. 1831-1838 here:
State Library of New South Wales
What is 'La tapada limeña'?
Here's a diary entry about 'La tapada limeña'
from Charles Darwin, dated August 1st 1835:
'There are two things in Lima, which all Travellers have discussed;
the ladies 'tapadas', or concealed in the 'saya y Manta', and fruit
called 'Chilimoya'. To my mind the former is as beautiful as the latter
is delicious. The close elastic gown fits the figure closely and obliges
the ladies to walk with small steps which they do very elegantly and
display very white silk stockings and very pretty feet. They wear a
black silk veil, which is fixed round the waist behind, is brought over
the head, and held by the hands before the face, allowing only one eye
to remain uncovered. But then that one eye is so black and brilliant
and has such powers of motion and expression, that its effect is very
powerful. Altogether the ladies are so metamorphised; that I at first
felt as much surprised, as if I had been introduced amongst a number
of nice round mermaids, or any other such beautiful animal. And
certainly they are better worth looking at than all the churches
and buildings in Lima'.
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The Chilimoya fruit
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Two of Syms Covington’s watercolours of the ladies
of Lima, showing the costume that captivated Darwin
See more of Sym Convington's sketches, mainly
of national costumes from Peru, ca. 1831-1838 here:
State Library of New South Wales
link
The women of Lima, Peru would hold the cloak or 'manto'
gracefully to cover their faces, coquettishly leaving one
eye uncovered. Such original attire allowed las limeñas
to go out alone and to start a conversation with whomever
they pleased, without damaging their dignity (in the
degree they wished to maintain it)
Please go here and read more
Tapada with blue 'saya', , 1850s
by Pancho Fierro (1807-1879)
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The long skirt was made of silk and often the
colour was blue, brown, green or black
Detail from 'El Mercado principal de Lima', 1848
by Mauricio Rugendas (1802-58)(aka Johann Moritz Rugendas)
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Sorry, I don't know a lot about the photos,
so 'photos only...'
'Street Scene in Lima', 1844
by Mauricio Rugendas (1802-58)
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The use of the silk shawls 'saya y Manta' started from
1560 and continued until well into the nineteenth
century - ca. 1860. Its use was extended for three
centuries or three hundred years
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By Pancho Fierro (1807-79), 1840
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Two female domestic staff in Spanish Dress,
From: The Costume of the Inhabitants of Peru,
published by J. Edington, London, ca. 1800
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Grabado de Rugendas painting
of tapada limeña
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Watercolour by Pancho Fierro, 19th century
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