One of Pair of Kente Wrappers

Description

Although kente is widely associated with Asante people, their Ewe neighbors also produce garments using a similar technique. The blue-and-white color scheme of these wrappers recalls early kente cloth made by both the Asante and the Ewe in the 18th century. Woven with undyed and indigo-dyed cotton, the narrow strips of light and dark rectangles are arranged to create the characteristic kente checkerboard pattern. The two cloths seen here would have been worn as a set, with the larger rectangular panel worn around the woman’s torso and the square cloth worn as shawl or a head wrap, depending on the occasion.

Provenance

Gilbert and Roda Graham, Woodbury, N.Y., by 2002 [Incoming permanent receipt RX23788 dated Sept. 30, 2002 in curatorial object file]; given to the Art Institute of Chicago, 2002.

One of Pair of Kente Wrappers

Ewe

Mid–20th century

Accession Number

181071

Medium

Pieced of 15 strips of cotton, warp striped plain weave with supplementary patterning and brocading wefts and self-patterned by bands of ground weft-floats

Dimensions

172 × 137.4 cm (67 3/4 × 54 1/8 in.)

Classification

kente

Museum

The Art Institute of Chicago

Chicago, United States

Credit Line

Gift of Gil and Roda Graham