Textile as an Affair of State: Decorative Arts and Industry in Argentina (1910-1927)

Authors

  • Larisa Mantovani Research Center in Art and Heritage (CIAP), EAyP, Universidad Nacional de San Martín, National Scientific and Technical Research Council, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Keywords:

Argentina, Artistic industries, Arts and crafts, Decorative arts, Textile, Weavers

Abstract

This paper examines the world of artistic textiles in Argentina during the early twentieth century, aiming to explore their development through the lens of cultural, social, and labor history. This approach seeks to connect theoretical perspectives of the time, artistic and technical education, and the promotion of artistic industries. While considering the influence of the National State in fostering the arts, this study also sheds light on various individuals who played pivotal roles in different textile projects.

The paper considers key figures, such as Clemente Onelli, founder of schools and director of a textile factory, whose contributions were instrumental in textile start-ups. Additionally, it investigates the initiatives of the women associated with the Liga Patriótica Argentina, focusing on their efforts in organizing weaving exhibitions. Furthermore, it explores the role played by weavers and craftswomen from different Argentine provinces.

In essence, this research seeks to uncover the intricate web of connections between theoretical discourse, educational initiatives, and the activities of key individuals in the field of textiles during this period. By examining the contributions of various actors, including those associated with the National State, schools, and industries, the study aims to reveal the underlying tensions and hierarchies related to class and gender that shaped the evolution of artistic textiles in Argentina.

Author Biography

Larisa Mantovani, Research Center in Art and Heritage (CIAP), EAyP, Universidad Nacional de San Martín, National Scientific and Technical Research Council, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Larisa Mantovani is based in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She holds a Phd in History from Universidad Nacional de San Martín and a bachelor’s degree in Art History earned at Universidad de Buenos Aires. Since 2022 she is a postdoctoral fellow of the National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), researching the topic: “Applied arts and artistic industries. The promotion of teaching, production and exhibition of textiles between Buenos Aires and the Argentine North (1910-1943)” and she also works as an Adjunct professor of History of Decorative Arts II (XVIIIth to XXth centuries) at Universidad del Salvador. Both her dissertation and current postdoctoral research focus on applied arts and the links between art, education, and industry in Argentina in the first half of the twentieth century, considering class and gender tensions in their production. She has received grants and founding Getty Foundation, Corning Museum of Glass and the Ministry of Culture in Argentina. She was the curator and researcher of Lucrecia Moyano. Diseño, arte e industria argentina at the National Museum of Decorative Arts in Buenos Aires. Her book El pueblo tiene derecho a la belleza: artes aplicadas, educación e industria (1910-1940) was recently published.

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Published

2025-02-14

How to Cite

Mantovani, L. (2025). Textile as an Affair of State: Decorative Arts and Industry in Argentina (1910-1927). A Contracorriente: Una Revista De Estudios Latinoamericanos, 22(2), 173–199. Retrieved from https://acontracorriente.chass.ncsu.edu/index.php/acontracorriente/article/view/2453

Issue

Section

Articles / Artículos