Collection Highlights: African Textiles
The museum’s collection of African textiles features a wide variety of traditions and techniques, including Kuba raffia embroidery from Congo, Ashanti strip weaving from Ghana, bogolanfini mudcloth from Mali, Nigerian adire indigo resists, and embroidered samplers from Morocco. In addition to textiles, the collection includes a small number of hats and examples of Zulu beadwork jewelry.
- Ceremonial Hat
- basketry covered with acrylic and acetate cloths, embroidered with glass beads.
- Gift of Gail Martin.
- 2017-63-1
- Cap (Egypt)
- silk, linen, gold.
- Gift of Kirkor Minassian.
- 1921-29-5
- This object is part of the Textiles collection.
- Tunic (Tunisia)
- silk, metallic.
- Gift of Eleanor and Sarah Hewitt, from the textile collection of Mrs. Abram....
- 1931-4-68
- This object is part of the Textiles collection.
- Necklace (South Africa)
- glass beads, metal fasteners.
- Gift of Sarah Cooper Hewitt.
- 1931-25-4-a
- Necklace (South Africa)
- glass beads, metal fasteners.
- Gift of Sarah Cooper Hewitt.
- 1931-25-4-b
- Necklace (South Africa)
- glass beads, metal fasteners.
- Gift of Sarah Cooper Hewitt.
- 1931-25-5-a
- Belt (South Africa)
- glass beads, metal fasteners.
- Gift of Sarah Cooper Hewitt.
- 1931-25-6
- Necklace (South Africa)
- glass beads, metal fasteners.
- Gift of Sarah Cooper Hewitt.
- 1931-25-7
- Panel (Morocco)
- silk embroidery, linen foundation.
- 1943-70-6
- Textile (Sudan)
- wool.
- Museum purchase through gift of Robert L. Hargous.
- 1944-87-2
- This object is part of the Textiles collection.
- Cap (Egypt)
- untwisted silk, gilded parchment; z-spun linen lining.
- Museum purchase through gift of Anonymous Donor.
- 1949-64-7
- Band (Morocco)
- linen and silk.
- 1954-108-1
- Woman's Headcovering (Algeria)
- cotton, silk.
- Gift of Mrs. William H. Clarke.
- 1955-20-1
- This object is part of the Textiles collection.
- Panel (Algeria)
- sik embroidery on linen foundation.
- Gift of Provident Securities Company from the Estate of Mr. and Mrs. William....
- 1955-133-11-a,b
- Coat And Undergarments (Egypt)
- silk, cotton.
- 1957-57-2-a/g
- Skirt (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
- raffia.
- Museum purchase from Au Panier Fleuri Fund.
- 1957-110-1
- This object is part of the Textiles collection.
- Status Cloth (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
- raffia.
- Museum purchase from Au Panier Fleuri Fund.
- 1957-110-2
- Status Cloth (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
- raffia.
- Museum purchase from Au Panier Fleuri Fund.
- 1957-110-3
- This object is part of the Textiles collection.
- Textile (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
- raffia.
- Museum purchase from Au Panier Fleuri Fund.
- 1957-110-4
- This object is part of the Textiles collection.
- Overskirt (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
- raffia, hemp.
- Museum purchase from Au Panier Fleuri Fund.
- 1957-110-5
- This object is part of the Textiles collection.
- Panel (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
- raffia.
- Museum purchase from Au Panier Fleuri Fund.
- 1957-110-10
- This object is part of the Textiles collection.
- Man's Hat (laket) (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
- raffia.
- Museum purchase from Au Panier Fleuri Fund.
- 1957-110-12
- Man's Cap (laket) (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
- raffia, wool.
- Museum purchase from Au Panier Fleuri Fund.
- 1957-110-13
- Man's Cap (laket) (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
- raffia.
- Museum purchase from Au Panier Fleuri Fund.
- 1957-110-14
- Textile (Nigeria)
- cotton.
- Museum purchase from Au Panier Fleuri Fund.
- 1959-36-1
- Wrapper (Nigeria)
- cotton.
- Museum purchase from Au Panier Fleuri Fund.
- 1959-36-3
- This object is part of the Textiles collection.
- Man's Two-horned Cap
- raffia, wool, cotton.
- Gift of Mrs. Benjamin Ginsburg.
- 1960-242-1
- Status Cloth (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
- raffia.
- Gift of Alan L. Wolfe.
- 1961-115-44
- This object is part of the Textiles collection.
- Status Cloth (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
- raffia.
- Gift of Alan L. Wolfe.
- 1961-115-45
- This object is part of the Textiles collection.
- Textile (Nigeria)
- cotton.
- Gift of the Estate of Mary Kirby.
- 1962-117-1
- Adire Wrapper (Nigeria)
- cotton.
- Gift of the Estate of Mary Kirby.
- 1962-117-2
- This object is part of the Textiles collection.
- Wrapper (Nigeria)
- cotton.
- Gift of the Estate of Mary Kirby.
- 1962-117-3