Hand cloth (servietta) c. 20th century

This hand cloth, or servietta, was made by Maya artists, and I can only imagine the amount of intention, practice, and skill that went into making it. Look at those small, repeated patterns! They march across the fabric in regimented rows, each one a tiny world of color and form. It's as if the artist was thinking, "How can I make something both orderly and alive?" I am so curious to know what it was like to sit with the fabric, feeling the rhythm of the needle, each stitch building these strange, evocative shapes. The shapes themselves! Some look like stylized animals, while others are more abstract, geometric forms. They remind me of Paul Klee's little whimsical figures, but with a totally different sensibility. The texture is probably amazing to touch, each stitch slightly raised, creating a topography of the surface. This piece feels like a conversation across time, connecting me to other textile artists, to the history of pattern-making, and to the simple human desire to create something beautiful and meaningful.