Man's Robe of Honor (Agbada)
Date20th century
Maker
Nigerian
Maker
Yoruba
, Ekiti region
Label TextFor centuries, a rectangular-shaped robe has been the official garment of the Islamic world in West Africa. By the nineteenth century, an abundance of indigo and cotton plantations were producing the raw materials for such robes. In Nigeria today, musicians and men of means or ambition are likely to wear agbada. This example contrasts deep dark indigo against crisp white embroidery surrounding the neck opening, with the two-pointed sword of the Prophet set amidst a maze of geometry that refers to Islamic invocations.
Object number2001.974
Photo CreditPhoto: Mark Woods
Exhibition HistorySeattle, Washington, Seattle Art Museum, Indigo, May 9 - Oct. 19, 2003.
Seattle, Washington, Seattle Asian Art Museum, Mood Indigo: Textiles from Around the World, Apr. 9 - Oct. 9, 2016.Credit LineGift of the Christensen Fund
Dimensions107 1/16 x 51 15/16 in. (272 x 132 cm)
MediumCotton cloth with dye
Nigerian, Yoruba culture
mid-20th century
Object number: 2023.18.1
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