1854 Antique Indigo Bakhnoug Shawl - Tunisian Textile Art

Rare Indigo Bakhnoug

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Mahmoudi (woman's mantle) Bakhnoug Wool Wedding Shawl

Note the vertical edges with ornaments. Each strip has unique geometric and abstract motifs. They form an alphabet through which declarations of belonging, of faith and messages of goodwill and hope are expressed.

Wool with cotton supplementary patterns.

The piece is dyed after weaving and the cotton resists the indigo.

From the Matmata area, Berber people

Early 1900s

183 x 87.5 / 79.5 cm (width is different at both ends)

Minor wear, some color run, repair present.

These textiles are very important to the family and so rarely available commercially.

Very dark midnight blue - almost black but not black. The earlier photos have been taken in bright light and the blue shows lighter than the shawl is. The last photo with the shawl on the furniture is the correct color.

Rare category

 SEE SIMILAR TEXTILES HERE:

Gillow, John. African Textiles. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2003.

Reswick, Irmtraud. “Traditional Textiles of Tunisia.” African Arts 14, no. 3 (1981): 56.

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This item has spent a lifetime being used for the purpose of its creation with the original artist/user. Signs of this life lived heartily may be present on the piece in the form of stains, thread loss, loose threads, holes, tears, color run and other imperfections. Therefore the condition must be assumed to be “not” perfect. More photos of such imperfections will be provided on request.

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