gʷəsdulic’a (robe)

Dateearly 20th century

Label TextCreamy white wool robes, often mixed with dog hair and vegetal fibers, were worn on ceremonial occasions, such as noble marriages, and also given as gifts to orators and special potlatch guests. The genius of combining a variety of natural materials for added strength and social prestige (wooly dogs were high status), speaks to the intuitive intelligence and quiet labor of nimble fingers that practiced their art forms to instill pride and survivance for their time and into the future.

Object number2006.19

Photo CreditPhoto: Susan Cole

Exhibition HistorySeattle, Washington, Seattle Art Museum, American Art: The Stories We Carry, Oct. 20, 2022 - ongoing.

Credit LineGift of John and Grace Putnam

Dimensions75 1/2 x 54 1/2 in. (191.77 x 138.43 cm)

MediumMountain goat wool, milkweed fiber, dyes