Adinkra Wrapper
Asante
1904–1950
- Medium
- 6 panels joined of factory-produced cotton, plain weave self-patterned by warp and weft floats; embroidered with silk floss and viscose rayon threads in chain stitches
- Dimensions
- 335.3 × 289.6 cm (132 × 114 in.)
- Genre
- costume
- Museum
- Art Institute of Chicago
Styles
Tags
cross motifsilk (fiber)rayonasantegeometricsymbolismflowerscirclesafricanfunerarysquaresgarmentarts of AfricaCoastal West Africaweaving - printedembroideryAfrican Textilesornamental piececostumecotton (fiber)Textileneedlework - costumeswirl motifsgeometric motifembroideringplain weaving
About
Although printed textiles proliferate in contemporary Ghanaian fashion, adinkra were the first and only preindustrial printed textile made in West Africa. This Adinkra Wrapper features a variety of motifs that highlight the wearer’s power and status, including symbols that represent royal hairstyles and dwellings. The garment’s white ground indicates that it was made to be worn for celebratory occasions. Examples of the types of stamps used to print adinkra are also in our collection.
