Art Institute of Chicago

Robe

Possibly Syria

Date

Ottoman period, 19th century

Medium

Cotton, plain weave; quilted with areas of raised padding; pieced

Culture

Syria

Department

Textiles

Institution

Art Institute of Chicago

In the 19th century it was popular for Syrian women and girls from wealthy, urban families to wear coats like this after visiting the hammam (public bath), although sometimes they were elegant enough to wear outside in other settings. The layers of cloth joined together with cotton padding in between—a form of quilting—were added to provide warmth and to elevate the decoration. Syria’s location on the Silk Road in earlier centuries made it a major center for trade and production. As a result, it became renowned for high-quality textiles and skilled dyers who were proficient in techniques like ikat, embroidery, and other techniques.

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