Detail View: The AMICA Library: Woman's Cape

AMICA ID: 
MIA_.98.6.1
AMICA Library Year: 
1999
Object Type: 
Costume and Jewelry
Creator Nationality: 
African; North African; Moroccan
Creator Role: 
artist
Creator Name-CRT: 
Beni Ouarain
Title: 
Woman's Cape
View: 
Front
Creation Date: 
19th century
Creation Start Date: 
1800
Creation End Date: 
1899
Materials and Techniques: 
cotton, silk, wool
Dimensions: 
H.38-3/4 x W.85-1/2 in. (without fringe and tassels)
Component Measured: 
overall
Measurement Unit: 
in
AMICA Contributor: 
The Minneapolis Institute of Arts
Owner Location: 
Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
ID Number: 
98.6.1
Credit Line: 
The Ethel Morrison Van Derlip Fund
Rights: 
Context: 

This elaborately patterned cape is a superb example of refined weaving from a people who are known for their textile skills. The individual design components and basic striping arrangement are part of a shared ethnic aesthetic but the specific arrangement is dependent on the artistic sensitivity of the weaver. Even today, many women weave their own fabrics, bit it is possible that this piece was commissioned by a wealthy family for the use of silk and the time involved to do such complex weaving would have made it very costly. It would have been worn only on very special occasions and treated as an important family heirloom.

Related Image Identifier Link: 
MIA_.4496c.tif