Adinkra Wrapper

Textiles

Early 20th century (after 1904)

Asante
Ghana
Coastal West Africa

Although printed textiles proliferate in contemporary Ghanaian fashion, adinkra were the first and only preindustrial printed textile made in West Africa. This Adinkra Wrapper features a variety of motifs that highlight the wearer’s power and status, including symbols that represent royal hairstyles and dwellings. The garment’s white ground indicates that it was made to be worn for celebratory occasions.

Examples of the types of stamps used to print adinkra are also in our collection.

Status: Currently Off View
Department: Textiles

Culture: Asante
Title: Adinkra Wrapper
Place: Ghana (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.: 1904–1950
Medium: 6 panels joined of factory-produced cotton, plain weave self-patterned by warp and weft floats; embroidered with silk floss and viscose rayon threads in chain stitches
Dimensions: 335.3 × 289.6 cm (132 × 114 in.)
Credit Line: African and Amerindian Art Purchase Fund; African and Amerindian Curator's Discretionary Fund
Reference Number: 2008.24

Art Institute of Chicago, Department of African and Amerindian Art, Gallery 137, May 10-Sept. 13, 2016.
Art Institute of Chicago, Arts of Africa, Gallery 137, Sep. 25, 2020-Jul. 27, 2021 (Museum closed due to COVID-19 from Nov. 19, 2020-Feb. 11, 2021).

Unnamed owner [member of a Dutch merchant family], Holland, about 1965 [this and the following according to documentation provided by A. Moraga, 2007]; by descent to Mrs. Anat Paulkner, Holland, 2007; sold to Andres Moraga, Berkeley, CA, 2007; sold to the Art Institute of Chicago, 2008.

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.

Suggested Terms

Currently Off View

Date:

Artist:

About this artwork

Status

Department

Culture

Title

Place

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.

Medium

Dimensions

Credit Line

Reference Number

Extended information about this artwork

Exhibition History

Provenance

Share

Explore Further

Sign up for our enewsletter to receive updates.

Gallery actions

Image actions

Share