Cape (Tabrdouhte)

Beni Ourain Amazigh (Berber) artist

19th century

Cotton, linen, silk, wool, supplementary weft patterning

Minneapolis Institute of Art

A rectangular woven textile with a fringe border and two decorative tassels hanging from the bottom edge. The textile features a repeating pattern of vertical stripes and geometric motifs in white, beige, and red. This elaborately patterned cape is a superb example of refined weaving from a people who are known for their textile skills. The individual design components and basic striping arrangement are part of a shared ethnic aesthetic but the specific arrangement is dependent on the artistic sensitivity of the weaver. Even today, many women weave their own fabrics, but it is possible that this piece was commissioned by a wealthy family for the use of silk and the time involved to do such complex weaving would have made it very costly. It would have been worn only on very special occasions and treated as an important family heirloom. Gallery