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Kanuri Tunic
Tribe Dynasty
Kanuri or Kotoko
Country Of Origin
Cameroon or Chad
Date
20th century
Materials
Silk and cotton
Technique
Couched floss silk embroidery
Condition
Excellent condition
Provenance
From the Sheila Paine collection. This tunic has been published twice, once in "Embroidered Textiles Traditional Patterns from Five Continents" and "African Textiles Colour and Creativity Across a Continent".
These rare tunics were worn by women in the royal court of the Kanuri people, members of the Islamic kingdom of Borno. The Kanuri people are clustered in the Lake Chad region in what is now the countries of Cameroon, Niger, Chad and Nigeria. The tunic is completely covered in brighly coloured flossy silk embroidery. It is embroidered through 2 layers of cloth, an outer ivory colored and interior indigo cotton layers. The lattice pattern covering the ground is said to represent fishing nets and the square on the front panel represents the court of the king. A similar example is currently on display in the Musee Quai Branly.
References
- . African Textiles, Colour and Creativity Across a Continent. Thames & Hudson. London. 2003. pp.180
Price
Price on request
Reference No
435