Description
Dog-eared cloth caps were a popular Yoruba man’s fashion in the 19th and early 20th centuries, particularly among hunters and inhabitants of rural areas. Beaded versions of the dog-eared cap were made for priests, priestesses, and other high-ranking officials to wear on special occasions. This cap has a pair of all-seeing eyes on its front and back. The interlaced motif suggests Islamic influence from the north and may also refer to the four cardinal points that diviners mark on a tray during divination.
Provenance
Mr. Vernon Nelson and Mrs. Kay Alden Nelson, Chicago, Ill., by 1994; given to the Art Institute, 1994.
Accession Number
135538
Medium
Cloth, glass beads, and thread
Dimensions
folded flat: 39.4 × 30.5 × 3.9 cm (15 1/2 × 12 × 1 1/2 in.)
Classification
beadwork
Credit Line
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Nelson