Cleveland Museum of Art

Kerchief (tensifa)

Date

1700–1899

Medium

Linen, silk, gold, silver, dye

Culture

Africa, North Africa, Algeria, Algerian embroiderer

Department

Textiles

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

This beautiful kerchief, worn wrapped around the head, was part of elegant bathing equipment that well-to-do women wore while relaxing in a hammam after bathing. The floral and foliate embroidery reflect a fashion that lasted for more than a century. This example is dominated by lavish, radiating gold and silver thread. Tiny traces of graphite on this textile show us how the artist carefully outlined the design to be embroidered.

The authoritative record is held by Cleveland Museum of Art. LinkedCulture surfaces this object and its connections; it does not alter institutional metadata.