Pair of shoes

Object Details

Sarah Bola Clarkson

Krio artist

Label Text

Needlepoint slippers were typically worn with the "kabbah slot" dress. Krio women did needlepoint in wool yarn on canvas. The tops are done toe to toe > < on one canvas. This form is called a “house” locally. The individual designs also have names, this one is "Bitter Kola." When the needlepoint is finished the edges of the canvas are cut away, the back is sewn together and the fabric is lined. A male leatherworker then attaches the top to a leather sole.

Description

Pair of shoes with needlepoint tops and leather soles and an overall repeat pattern in blue and white wool yarn.

Provenance

Family of Cloris Davis, Freetown, Sierra Leone, 1920s

Lucille Chaveas, collected in Freetown, Sierra Leone, 2003 to 2013

Content Statement

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Credit Line

Gift of Lucille M. Chaveas, wife of the U.S. Ambassador to Sierra Leone, 2001-2004

ca. 1973

Object number

2013-4-11

Restrictions & Rights

Usage conditions apply

Type

Textile and Fiber Arts

Medium

Cotton needlepoint canvas, wool, dye, leather

Dimensions

Each, L x W x D: 26.7 x 10.2 x 7.6 cm (10 1/2 x 4 x 3 in.)

Geography

Freetown, Sierra Leone

See more items in

National Museum of African Art Collection

Object Name

Bitter Kola

National Museum of African Art

Topic

Adornment

Female use

geometric motif

male

Record ID

nmafa_2013-4-11

Metadata Usage (text)

Usage conditions apply

GUID (Link to Original Record)

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ys705aeb35c-1dfe-406d-92d4-d04e51bc8089