Robe, 1940s
Songhaiexpand_more
Cotton, silkexpand_more
The Mary Ruth Weisel Endowment for Africa, Oceania, and the Americasexpand_more 2021.26
Not on Viewexpand_more
A Muslim man in the city of Djenné in Mali would have worn this luxurious robe on formal occasions as a valued symbol of piety and wealth. Called a boubou tilbi, it is part of the West-African tradition of loose-fitting, wide-sleeved gowns worn over other clothing. The embroiderer who created numerous designs in silk on its front, chest pocket, and back, needed several years to finish the complex and precise stitches. The motifs, formally equated to writings from the Qur’an, meant to afford the wearer spiritual protection.
While the skill of hand embroidery is dying out in Mali, being replaced by sewing machines, a workshop in Timbuktu created in the early 2000s aims at preserving the tradition of the boubou tilbi. Its young artists value continuity with the past, and at the same time invent new motifs and stitch styles within the bounds of precedent.
Details
- Title
- Robe
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 2021.26
- Curator Approved
This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
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