Description
This is an exquisite example of a rare type of swallowtail-shaped apron worn by young female initiates until the mid-19th century. On the upper portion, the black beads were applied in such a way that they can be read as a human face or even as a full figure. In fact, the overall form of the apron can be viewed as representing the lower torso and legs of a woman with a neatly marked pubic region.
Provenance
Maurice Joy, London, England (dates unknown); Kevin Conru, Brussels, Belgium (2006); (Jacaranda Tribal Art Gallery, New York, NY, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art) (2010); The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (2010–)
Accession Number
2010.206
Medium
Leather, glass beads, and sinew
Dimensions
Overall: 34 x 18 x 2.5 cm (13 3/8 x 7 1/16 x 1 in.)
Classification
Garment
Credit Line
Leonard C. Hanna Jr. Fund