Yoruba Adire Eleko Indigo Textile

c. 1950
$488 USD SOLD
Dimensions
W: 77.0" D: 0.25" H: 63.0"
Materials
Cotton
Collection #
CAA1533
Estimated Shipping
$20

A dizzying array of intricate patterns covers this beautiful indigo textile by the Yoruba people of Nigeria. Hand-dyed by women, this style of indigo cloth is known as adire eleko and is made by applying cassava starch to white cotton in fine lines. When the starch has dried, the cloth is dipped in indigo dye, yielding decorative designs of light blue against a dark indigo background. This textile was likely created using tin stencils made from British tea boxes, an aid that drastically shortened the time-consuming process of patterning the cloth. With detailed linework and an exuberant display of pattern, this textile is nevertheless a stunning example of a traditional craft.

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