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Feather Headdress

A work made of feathers, fiber, and cotton.

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  • A work made of feathers, fiber, and cotton.

Date:

20th century

Artist:

Bamileke
Cameroon
Coastal West Africa

About this artwork

Fashioned from dyed feathers secured to a raffia-mesh or basketwork cap, feather headdresses from the Grassfields region of Cameroon were worn by palace dancers during celebrations and funerals. The red tail feathers of the African gray parrot were favored for these pieces, although they were later replaced by dyed cockerel feathers. The bird quills were pushed into the crown of a crocheted or basketry hat and then tied or sewed with cotton or raffia thread. This headdress has its own self-storage capacity, as it can be turned inside out, with the feathers protected by the inverted cap.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Arts of Africa

Culture

Bamileke

Title

Feather Headdress

Place

Cameroon (Object made in)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

1901–1999

Medium

Feathers, fiber, and cotton

Dimensions

39.4 × 55.9 cm (15 1/2 × 22 in.)

Credit Line

The Art Institute of Chicago, Gift of Donald Young and Shirley Weese Young

Reference Number

2015.308

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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