Machu Picchu

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Artist Martín Chambi(Peruvian, 1891–1973)Peruvian, 1891–1973

CulturePeruvian

Titles

Machu Picchu

Datec. 1930

Place depictedPeru

MediumGelatin silver print

DimensionsImage: 6 5/8 × 9 in. (16.9 × 22.9 cm)
Sheet: 6 15/16 × 9 1/4 in. (17.6 × 23.5 cm)

Credit LineMuseum purchase funded by the Photography Subcommittee, 2024

Object number2024.73

Current Location

The Nancy and Rich Kinder Building

Gallery 208

On view

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Department

Photography

Object Type

PHOTOGRAPHS

DescriptionMartín Chambi built a prodigious photographic career during the first half of the 20th century in his native Peru. Dividing his time between the studio and the field, Chambi made portraits of prominent families in rapidly modernizing Cusco, as well as rural life, landscapes, and Inca architectural sites in the surrounding Andean highlands, including this picture of Machu Picchu. Of indigenous descent, Chambi was uniquely positioned to explore the legacies of the Inca and Spanish colonialism, ultimately playing a key role in Peru’s shifting culture and the reclamation of a pre-colonial past to bolster a sense of national identity.
Provenance[La Guaira Fine Art, New York]; Private collection, 1998; [Heritage Auctions, Depth of Field: Featuring Latin American Photographs Showcase Auction, Dallas, March 13, 2024, Lot 38030]; purchased by MFAH, 2024.
Inscriptions, Signatures and Marks

Embossed, recto, lower right: MARTIN J. CHAMBI // CUZCO

Cataloguing data may change with further research.

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