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Blanket

A work made of pieced of nine strips of cotton; plain weave with bands of supplementary patterning wefts.

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  • A work made of pieced of nine strips of cotton; plain weave with bands of supplementary patterning wefts.

Date:

Mid–20th century

Artist:

Dogon
Mali
Northern Africa and the Sahel

About this artwork

This blanket was made by stitching nine strips of cotton together—a standard technique used by the Dogon people to create the shroud used in funerary rituals for an important man or woman. The wrapped body would be displayed in the courtyard of the deceased for six days as a tribute. Blankets constructed in this way were also worn as prestige wrappers by elders among the nomadic Fulani, pastoralists who range across northern and western Africa.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Textiles

Culture

Dogon

Title

Blanket

Place

Mali (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.

Made 1925–1975

Medium

Pieced of nine strips of cotton; plain weave with bands of supplementary patterning wefts

Dimensions

308.8 × 163.2 cm (121 1/2 × 64 1/4 in.)

Credit Line

Gift of Gil and Roda Graham

Reference Number

2002.536

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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