Textiles and the Decorative Arts

Characteristics: Made from cotton, animal and grass fibers.

Woven cloth made on narrow and horizontal looms. Motifs and patterns of cloth produced by a variety of techniques:

such as resist dyeing, tie dyeing, weaving,

and direct painting on the fabric.

Cloth indicates status, personal and group identity, as well as the wearer’s occupation.

Often done to beautify, complement, and enhance the body.

Cloth is the fabric of immortality—“Cloth does not die, only wears to shreds”

“It is cloth we should greet before greeting the wearer”

Ibadan Dun—Ibadan is Sweet, Pleasurable, Enjoyable Indigo dyed fabric, Yoruba 20th century

Woman painting designs With feather and cassava starch

Woman displays completely Dried stenciled patterns

The dying stage

Third stage of the dying process

The final product

Bogolanfini ArtistBamana Peoples, MaliMud cloth20th century

Bogolanfini—Mud cloth, Bamana Peoples Mali, 20th century

Bogolanfini—mud cloth, Bamana Peoples, Mali, cotton and natural dyes20th century

Bogolanfini—Mud cloth, Bamana Peoples, Mali, cotton, natural pigments20th century

Adinkra,Akan, GhanaCotton, pigments20th century

Berber Blanket, wool and natural pigments, Morocco, 20th century

Berber Textile,Hand woven wool, with natural pigments20th century

Fon applique,Fon Peoples, Benin RepublicCotton,20th century

Funerary Cloth,Ibibio, NigeriaCotton, 20th century

Warriors in Quilted Cloth Armor, Djerma (Hausa) Peoples, Niger, 20th century

Woman weaving at the Vertical Loom

Weaving on the Narrow loom,Yoruba Peoples, Nigeria20th century

Hand woven fabricYoruba Peoples, NigeriaCotton, silk20th century

Dandogo, Yoruba, NigeriaCotton, natural dyes20th century

Dancer in Dandogo, Yoruba Peoples, Nigeria, 20th century

Kente,Akan Peoples,Ghana/Ivory CoastCotton, silk20th century

Kuba cloth, Kuba Peoples, Congo, raffia and natural pigments, 20th century

Kuba cloth, Kuba Peoples, Congo, raffia and natural pigments, 20th century

Ruler in Kente,Akan Peoples, GhanaCotton, gold, leather20th century

Orangun of Ila, (Ruler of Ila)Yoruba, NigeriaCotton, beads, leather20th century

Hausa Royalty,Hausa, NigeriaCotton, velvet20th century

Titled Chief in front of Nsibidi clothNote the feathers in cap,Leopard teeth necklace and the elephantTusk in his hand

Ekpe members in procession wearing the Ukara cloth, Igbo Nigeria

Kalabari Ijaw, Funerary Textile Display in the Jelly Fish Pattern, Buguma, Nigeria

Egungun costume on display at the Studio Museum, New YorkYoruba Peoples, Nigeria. Cotton, leather, metal, cowries, 20th century

Egungun Performance,Yoruba, Nigeria

Ijele Masquerade,Igbo, NigeriaCotton, wood, plastics, leather20th century

Elephant masks in performance, Cameroon

Ejisuhene Nana Diko Pim III,Wearing the great Warrior shirt And Hat with amulets,Akan Peoples, GhanaCotton, leather, metal, horns and cowries20th century

Ruler’s beaded shirt,Yoruba, NigeriaBeads, cotton20th century

Sango Priests in a ritual dance, Yoruba, Nigeria, cotton, leather, cowries20th century