Prestige Gown

Unknown

19th–20th century · Cotton, wool · Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas

Richly embroidered indigo-dyed tunics have come to define a fashion embraced by aristocrats of the northwest Grassfields. Forerunners of these "Grassfields gowns" were introduced by the Chamba, who arrived from the northern Benue River region in present-day Nigeria during the early nineteenth century. Such garments are a collaborative effort, requiring the expertise of both a tailor and an embroidery specialist. The body and sleeves of this example feature large, centrally placed crocodiles and protective crosses, surrounded by smaller motifs related to agriculture and the settling of the land. This design scheme was likely adapted from that of Wukari Royal Cloth, a fabric imported by Grassfields rulers from their northern Jukun neighbors.

Artist

Unknown

Date

19th–20th century

Medium

Cotton, wool

Culture

Grassfields region

Department

Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas

Credit line

Purchase, Dr. and Mrs. Sidney Clyman Gift and Rogers Fund, 1987