Man's trousers

NameTrousers

CultureYoruba

Dateca. 1960s

Place madeNigeria, Africa

MediumCotton, indigo, alari (cassava root)

Dimensions39 × 32 11/16 × 3/8 in. (99 × 83 × 1 cm)

Credit LineMuseum of International Folk Art, gift of Barbarine Rich, A.2018.4.14

Object numberA.2018.4.14

ProvenanceThese textiles were sourced by Dr. Duncan Clarke, who earned his PhD from the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, specializing in aso oke (Nigerian strip weaving). He published a number of books on West African textiles and works as a high-end dealer in London. The donor purchased the textiles from Dr. Clarke. She began selectively collecting textiles many years ago and intended to launch her own private textile museum in a house beside the Wheelwright Museum on Museum Hill in Santa Fe. These plans were stalled and more recently abandoned when her young daughter was discovered to be terminally ill; she began to divest her large textile holdings.

DescriptionThese trousers match the tunic (T.2017.14.13). The pants have a wide blue cotton waist band made from aso oke stripes decorated with warp stripes in blue and warp ikat in magenta (color made from alrari (cassava root).