Modesty Apron
Turkana
1850–1950
- Medium
- Animal hide and beads
- Dimensions
- Width at widest point 22". Width at top of object 16": 175.3 × 55.9 × 0.7 cm (69 × 22 × 1/4 in.); on plexi armature: 81.3 × 43.2 × 25.4 cm (32 × 17 × 10 in.)
- Genre
- leather/animal skin
- Museum
- Art Institute of Chicago
Styles
Tags
leatherglassleather/animal skinanimal materialinorganic materialturkanacostumehide
About
Like other nomadic pastoralist groups in eastern Africa, the Turkana place a high value on costumes and adornments. These art forms are designed to convey one’s identity, social position, and family status. The upside-down U-shaped decorations at the lower edge of this apron were part of a design trend, indicating that a fashionable married woman wore it. Specific colors of beads arranged in particular patterns might also indicate details about the woman’s new husband’s village, family history, or status.
