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Source Description
This beautiful kerchief, worn wrapped around the head, was part of elegant bathing equipment that well-to-do women wore while relaxing in a hammam after bathing. The floral and foliate embroidery reflect a fashion that lasted for more than a century. This example is dominated by brilliant crimson and blue silk stitches.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
95502
label
Headkerchief (tensifa)
core
obj
dtoType
object
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
95502
contentType
object
title
Headkerchief (tensifa)
description
This beautiful kerchief, worn wrapped around the head, was part of elegant bathing equipment that well-to-do women wore while relaxing in a hammam after bathing. The floral and foliate embroidery reflect a fashion that lasted for more than a century. This example is dominated by brilliant crimson and blue silk stitches.
date
1700s
rights
CC0
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
wikidata
Q79477078
genreSpecific
Embroidery
imageCount
1
source
import
dimensionsRaw
Overall: 260.4 x 40.6 cm (102 1/2 x 16 in.)
cul
Africa, North Africa, Algeria, Algerian embroiderer
accession
1916.1237
Source extras
tec
Linen, silk, gold, silver, dye
tombstone
Headkerchief (tensifa), 1700s. Africa, North Africa, Algeria, Algerian embroiderer. Linen, silk, gold, silver, dye; overall: 260.4 x 40.6 cm (102 1/2 x 16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Wade, 1916.1237
collection
T - Islamic
didYouKnow
This textile was displayed in the CMA’s first exhibition in 1916. While it is from North Africa, it was displayed in the "Nearer East" gallery.
citations
citation
Inaugural Exhibition. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (co-organizer) (June 6-September 20, 1916)
citation
Victoria and Albert Museum, and A. J. B. Wace. <em>Catalogue of Algerian Embroideries</em>. London: Published under the authority of the Board of Education, 1935.
page_number
plate 6, no. 15
citation
Windmuller-Luna, Kristen. "Textile stories from North Africa." <em>HALI </em>224 (Summer 2025): 54-61.
page_number
Mentioned: p. 60; Reproduced: p. 54, 58, fig. 1, fig. 8
creditline
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Wade
updatedAt
2026-05-29 05:07:38.224000
sourceId
95502
dept
Textiles
coll
T - Islamic
med
Linen, silk, gold, silver, dye
thumbnail_url
image_url
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
3b1e1b8f845d7ff4