Ceremonial cloth

19th century

Not on view

This nineteenth century, rare Iban cloth from the Dayak peoples of Borneo is in excellent condition and features a supremely well-executed pilih (supplementary weft) technique on an unusually large-scale. The cloth comprises a red background offset with dramatic designs picked out in black and white. Two pairs of lizard-like creatures with protruding tongues and coiled tails face each other, their arms and legs set animatedly on either side of the body as if in readiness to strike. A double zig-zag border separates their line of symmetry. Elaborate foliate designs fill the spaces in-between these central figures and seal the longitudinal design at each end.

Artwork Details

Overview

Provenance

Title: Ceremonial cloth
Date: 19th century
Geography: Indonesia, Iban (Dayak), Borneo
Culture: Iban-Dayak
Medium: Cotton ikat dyed textile
Dimensions: H. 9 ft. × W. 24 in. (274.3 × 61 cm)
Classification: Textiles
Credit Line: Gift of Dr. Joel Confino and Lisa Alter, 2016
Object Number: 2016.736.3
Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing

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