Married Woman's Bògòlanfini Wrapper

Description

This woman’s wrapper, worn tied around the waist as a skirt, was formed from eight strips of plain weave cotton that were dyed and sewn together. The term bògòlanfini means “mud cloth” in Bambara, a language spoken in Mali. Completing a single garment is a multistep process, with men weaving the cloth strips on narrow horizontal looms while women paint the background around the motifs using fermented mud. Bògòlanfini is used for both women’s, and men’s garments and specific geometric designs provide the wearer with protection and signify their status.

Provenance

Commissioned by Sarah Brett-Smith, Mali, and Highland Park, NJ, July 1988 [according to personal communication from S. Brett-Smith, textile was commissioned through Fatmata Traorde, Mali; invoice #1989-1, Apr. 19, 1989; incoming receipt RX17928, Aug. 24, 1989; copy in curatorial object file]; sold to the Art Institute of Chicago, 1989.

Married Woman's Bògòlanfini Wrapper

Djowari Suko

1988

Accession Number

111165

Medium

Cotton, eight narrow strips of plain weave; pieced; resist painted and printed

Dimensions

125.7 × 102.9 cm (49 1/2 × 40 1/2 in.); Approximate strip: W.: 12.7 cm (5 in.)

Classification

textile

Museum

The Art Institute of Chicago

Chicago, United States

Credit Line

Purchased with funds provided by the Textile Society