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Boots

African Art Museum

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International media Interoperability Framework
IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.
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Object Details

Maker

Lobi artist

Label Text

Leather boots of this type form part of ceremonial or status dress worn by men in northern Ghana. Art historians Herbert M. Cole and Doran H. Ross document dress of this style among the Lobi of Birifu, but note that it was made and likely sold in the northern market town of Bolgatanga. Dress of this type is considered to convey the prestige of Islam leading to its adoption beyond Islamic centers.

Description

Brown leather boots with inlays of blue green leather in strips and rows of triangles. Part of a set including a triangular brown leather bag with fringe (2013-2-3).

Provenance

Ambassador Fred Latimer Hadsel and Winifred Nelson Hadsel, 1971-1974 to 2010
Christine Hadsel, 2010 to 2013

Published References

Curnow, Kathy. 2014. At Home in Africa: Design, Beauty, and Pleasing Irregularity in Domestic Settings. Cleveland: The Galleries at Cleveland State University.

Content Statement

As part of our commitment to accessibility and transparency, the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art is placing its collection records online. Please note that some records are incomplete (missing image or content descriptions) and others reflect out-of-date language or systems of thought regarding how to engage with and discuss cultural heritage and the specifics of individual artworks. If you see content requiring immediate action, we will do our best to address it in a timely manner. Please email nmafacuratorial@si.edu if you have any questions.

Image Requests

High resolution digital images are not available for some objects. For publication quality photography and permissions, please contact the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives at https://africa.si.edu/research/eliot-elisofon-photographic-archives/

Credit Line

Gift of Ambassador and Mrs. Fred L. Hadsel

Date

Mid-20th century

Object number

2013-2-2

Restrictions & Rights

Usage conditions apply

Type

Textile and Fiber Arts

Medium

Leather, dye

Dimensions

Each boot, flattened: 49 x 28 x 3 cm (19 5/16 x 11 x 1 3/16 in.)

Geography

Ghana

See more items in

National Museum of African Art Collection

Data Source

National Museum of African Art

Topic

Male use
geometric motif
male

Metadata Usage

Usage conditions apply

Link to Original Record

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ys7c0811748-898f-4383-9e7d-93eb695d32eb

Record ID

nmafa_2013-2-2

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