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Social Sharing
Man's wrapper
Not on view
The "kente" cloths woven by the Ashanti and Ewe of Ghana are unparalleled in their expressive energy and virtuosity within the tradition of West African strip weaving. The term "kente" cloth derives from the Fante word "kenten" meaning basket. This expansive man's wrapper is made from twenty-four separate silk strips that have been sewn together along selvedge edges forming a vast expanse of pattern. Each strip is densely worked with exquisite supplementary-weft patterning that represents this weaving tradition in its highest form. The Ashanti refer to work of this caliber as "Adweneasea" which means "the end of all designs or skills in weaving". The essence of term carries the recognition that the male weaver has exhausted both his skills and design repertoire in the creation of this most elaborate cloth. For the Ashanti, the combination of gold, yellow, and green was first identified of royal Oyoko clan; textiles woven with this color combination still bear the prestigious title "Oyokoman."
- Culture
- Asante
- Title
- Man's wrapper
- Date
- 1920-1940
- Object Type
- Costume
- Medium
- Silk; strip-weaving, plain weave, supplementary weft patterning
- Dimensions
- 75 x 111 in. (190.5 x 281.9 cm)
- Credit Line
- Museum purchase, San Francisco Auxiliary Committee
- Accession Number
- 2014.23