Woman's Sarung (Kewatek Méan) | Yale University Art Gallery

early 20th century

Not on view

The weavers in the villages around the Ili Api Volcano on the island of Lembata produce some of the finest ikat textiles in eastern Indonesia. They take particular pride in the precision of their ikat work and in its depth of color. These textiles are an essential part of the elaborate gift exchange that is initiated with a couple’s marriage and continues throughout the lives of husband and wife and their children. In this context, it is considered necessary that the cloths be made of locally grown, hand-spun cotton, colored with natural dyes. Many of the patterns are restricted in their use due to their association with specific lineages.

Medium: Cotton; warp-faced plain weave, warp ikat
Dimensions: 74 × 28 3/4 in. (187.96 × 73.03 cm)
Credit Line: Promised gift of Thomas Jaffe, B.A. 1971
Loan number: ILE2014.8.39
Geography: Made in Ilê Ape, Lembata, Indonesia
Culture: Lamaholot
Classification: Textiles
Disclaimer: Note: This electronic record was created from historic documentation that does not necessarily reflect the Yale University Art Gallery’s complete or current knowledge about the object. Review and updating of records is ongoing.

Provenance

First known collector: Kent Watters (1970s). Ex-collection: Tony Granucci. Seller: Frank Wiggers (2013-04-05).

Object copyright

Additional information

Object/Work type

clothing, sarongs

Technical metadata and APIs

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