Man's cloth, 20th century
Asante or Akanexpand_more
Synthetic, silk; strip woven, supplementary weft patterningexpand_more
Gift of funds from the Regis Foundationexpand_more 2005.71.15
Not on Viewexpand_more
Asante weavers produce luxurious, richly patterned garments that are worn only at formal or ceremonial gatherings such as weddings, funerals, or the enthronement of a chief. These cloths are popularly called 'Kente' (from kenten, basket), a name given to them by 19th century traders that may refer to the basketweave effect of alternating stripe and pattern blocks. Within the Asante culture, however, a cloth such as this would be referred to as Nsaduaso, a cloth of high quality that a man of means might purchase.
Individual cloths are given names based on the stripe pattern of the ground cloth. This man's cloth is woven in the nyankonton design, which translates literally as "God's eyebrow" and symbolizes the beauty and mystery of the rainbow. This exceptional cloth is an example of adweneasa, a type of kente in which the ground cloth is totally covered with design motifs.
Details
- Title
- Man's cloth
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 2005.71.15
- 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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