curved collar with two front downward-hanging tabs; feathers stitched to off-white cotton cloth backing overall; triangular motifs; background of cream and brown spotted feathers; brown, golden brown, spotted brown and white, iridescent blue-green and iridescent green, brown and yellow feathers

Cape, c. 1850

possibly Meskwaki (Sac and Fox)expand_more

Feathers, cottonexpand_more

The Jane and James Emison Endowment for Native American Artexpand_more  2008.64

Not on Viewexpand_more

This cape is an example of the frequent and enduring exchange with other cultures, both Native and non-Native, that in part shapes Native art. At the start of the 1800s, Native peoples experienced countless changes to their way of life. This feathered cape combines European-style clothing with Native needs and aesthetics. It resembles a pelerine, a type of shoulder cape worn by women in Europe and the United States, yet feathered capes were used as regalia in Native American communities before European settlement.

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Details
Title
Cape
Role
Artist
Accession Number
2008.64
Curator Approved

This record is from historic documentation and may not have been reviewed by a curator, so may be inaccurate or incomplete. Our 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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curved collar with two front downward-hanging tabs; feathers stitched to off-white cotton cloth backing overall; triangular motifs; background of cream and brown spotted feathers; brown, golden brown, spotted brown and white, iridescent blue-green and iridescent green, brown and yellow feathers

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