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Source Description
These detailed samplers demonstrate the artist's technical range. Here, floral designs, protective open-palm hand motifs (<em>khamsa</em>) and various patterns are embroidered using double-running stitches, straight stitches, and long-armed cross stitches with dyed silk thread. Young women from all social classes would learn these skills from a master craftswoman (<em>mu’allima</em>), who taught within her home. Upon the completion their studies, these professionally trained women would produce a sampler as a “diploma” testifying to their skills.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
111336
label
Embroidery sampler (chelliga/shelliga)
core
obj
dtoType
object
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
111336
contentType
object
title
Embroidery sampler (chelliga/shelliga)
description
These detailed samplers demonstrate the artist's technical range. Here, floral designs, protective open-palm hand motifs (<em>khamsa</em>) and various patterns are embroidered using double-running stitches, straight stitches, and long-armed cross stitches with dyed silk thread. Young women from all social classes would learn these skills from a master craftswoman (<em>mu’allima</em>), who taught within her home. Upon the completion their studies, these professionally trained women would produce a sampler as a “diploma” testifying to their skills.
date
1800s
rights
CC0
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
wikidata
Q80003373
genreSpecific
Sampler
imageCount
1
source
import
dimensionsRaw
Overall: 104.1 x 81.3 cm (41 x 32 in.)
cul
Africa, North Africa, Morocco, Salé, Moroccan embroiderer
accession
1929.842
Source extras
tec
Cotton, silk, dye
tombstone
Embroidery sampler (chelliga/shelliga), 1800s. Africa, North Africa, Morocco, Salé, Moroccan embroiderer. Cotton, silk, dye; overall: 104.1 x 81.3 cm (41 x 32 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund, 1929.842
collection
T - Islamic
relatedWorks
id
111325
description
Embroidery sampler (chelliga/shelliga), c. 1700s. Africa, North Africa, Morocco, Moroccan embroiderer. Cotton, silk, dye; overall: 58.4 x 59.1 cm (23 x 23 1/4 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Educational Purchase Fund, 1929.831
id
111335
description
Embroidery sampler (chelliga/shelliga), 1800s. Africa, North Africa, Morocco, Salé, Moroccan embroiderer. Cotton, silk, dye; average: 81.9 x 79.4 cm (32 1/4 x 31 1/4 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund, 1929.841
didYouKnow
This sampler's motifs include human figures, floral motifs, doorways, and “resha” starlike motifs. It is unusual for samplers to have a fringe border.
citations
citation
Stone, Caroline. <em>The Embroideries of North Africa</em>. Burnt Mill, Harlow, Essex: Longman, 1985.
page_number
p. 69, 90
citation
Paydar, Niloo Imami, and Ivo Grammet. <em>The Fabric of Moroccan Life</em>. Indianapolis, Ind: Indianapolis Museum of Art, 2002.
page_number
p. 72, 79
citation
Denamur, Isabelle, Pierre Ferbos, and Louise Rogers Lalaurie. <em>Moroccan textile embroidery</em>. Paris: Flammarion, 2003.
page_number
p. 179, 185, 187-189
citation
Alaoui, Rachida. <em>Florilège de la broderie marocaine</em>. [Milan]: Skira, 2011.
page_number
p. 86-87
creditline
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund
updatedAt
2026-05-29 05:53:35.463000
sourceId
111336
dept
Textiles
coll
T - Islamic
med
Cotton, silk, dye
thumbnail_url
image_url
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
4378c92ef8c0454a