Man's cloth, 20th century
Asante or Akanexpand_more
Synthetic; strip woven, supplementary weft patterningexpand_more
Gift of funds from Regis Foundationexpand_more 2005.134.6
Not on Viewexpand_more
Asante weavers are highly regulated and are restricted to producing cloths in traditional designs, using specific stripe patterns, motifs, and layout. Despite the seeming rigidity of design, closer inspection often reveals a wealth of variation within the susudua (pattern blocks), primarily in the choice and placement of adwen (designs).
The body of this cloth contains an unusually large amount of variation in color and texture in the babadua (weft stripes). Nearly every babadua differs in the width of stripe, choice of colors and placement. There are more than three dozen distinct adwen plus countless variations. The border, however, is quite traditional, with its alternating nwatoa, babadua surrounding two long rows of the adwen 'nkyemfre', which symbolizes the maxim 'unity in strength.'
Details
- Title
- Man's cloth
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 2005.134.6
- 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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