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Source Description
Displayed flat to highlight its designs and preserve its delicate fibers, this wrapper was meant to drape around the body. An elite man wore it with one corner over a shoulder, the knotted fringe skimming his ankles. The garment gained its earth-toned geometric patterns through <em>plangi, </em>a knot-and-twist resist dyeing technique; each color is applied in a different dye bath, from lightest to darkest. While their patterns are unique, these garments reflect regional influence: Dida women likely learned hand interlacing from Liberian Kpelle weavers. Such garments were given as gifts or worn on special occasions, at least into the 1990s.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
163080
label
Man's Garment
core
obj
dtoType
object
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
163080
contentType
object
title
Man's Garment
description
Displayed flat to highlight its designs and preserve its delicate fibers, this wrapper was meant to drape around the body. An elite man wore it with one corner over a shoulder, the knotted fringe skimming his ankles. The garment gained its earth-toned geometric patterns through <em>plangi, </em>a knot-and-twist resist dyeing technique; each color is applied in a different dye bath, from lightest to darkest. While their patterns are unique, these garments reflect regional influence: Dida women likely learned hand interlacing from Liberian Kpelle weavers. Such garments were given as gifts or worn on special occasions, at least into the 1990s.
date
possibly early 1900s
citation
rights
CC0
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
wikidata
Q79988546
genreSpecific
Textile
imageCount
1
source
import
dimensionsRaw
Overall: 169.8 x 211.5 cm (66 7/8 x 83 1/4 in.)
cul
Africa, West Africa, Côte d'Ivoire, Dida-style weavers and dyers
accession
2003.89
Source extras
tec
Raffia palm fiber (Raphia ruffia or R. vinifera) and dye
tombstone
Man's Garment, possibly early 1900s. Africa, West Africa, Côte d'Ivoire, Dida-style weavers and dyers. Raffia palm fiber (Raphia ruffia or R. vinifera) and dye; overall: 169.8 x 211.5 cm (66 7/8 x 83 1/4 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, John L. Severance Fund, 2003.89
collection
Textiles
didYouKnow
The tying of fabric during the making of this garment gives its surface a distinctively "crinkled" texture.
citations
citation
Adams, Monni, and T. Rose Holdcraft. 1992. “Dida Woven Raffia Cloth from Côte D'ivoire.” <em>African Arts</em> 25 (3): 42–101.
citation
Gillow, John. African Textiles: Colour and Creativity Across a Continent. London: Thames & Hudson, 2003.
page_number
p. 66-7
creditline
John L. Severance Fund
updatedAt
2026-05-29 08:28:43.486000
sourceId
163080
dept
Textiles
coll
Textiles
med
Raffia palm fiber (Raphia ruffia or R. vinifera) and dye
thumbnail_url
image_url
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
f2f7191b552ef481