Mae Festa 50 Years of Collecting Textiles - Peter Pap Oriental Rugs

AFRICA – Sub-Sahara
Fragment of Man’s Ceremonial Robe (Riga)
Mid-late 20 th Century
Hausa People, Nigeria
Natural ivory wild silk embroidered onto
imported light blue commercial cotton
cloth with overall diaper pattern of lozenges
and cricels.
64 x 63 cm 25½ x 25 in
Such prestige garments are worn by Hausa dignitaries
for whom fine imported cloth is considered a status
material, although strip-woven cotton and silk fabrics
are more characteristic of these robes. On special
occasions, those who could afford them would wear
several great robes in order to display their wealth
and status, with the arms folded back in order that
all would be seen. The origins of these elegantly drawn
designs may be traced well back into the 19 th century.
The design is cut off at the level of the original neck
opening, but would have continued to the left, with
a great spiral, and up to the right.
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