Factory printed cloth

Object Details

Undetermined artist

Label Text

Factory print cloth may be manufactured in Europe or Asia for the African market or be made in an African factory and sold anywhere. Generally identified with bright colors and bold designs, it assumes a local name and symbolic meaning. One reason for success of factory printed cloth is the widespread practice of dressing alike for special events--weddings, funerals, anniversaries and especially for political events. Another is the quantity of cloth needed to make an outfit. Factory printed cloth is typically sold in 6 yard lots to women for a skirt and top, plus a shawl or head tie. It may be kept uncut as stored wealth.

The 1920s-1930s saw the introduction of Fancy cloth, large plain blocks of color with photographic imagery. Popular during colonial times, this technique became particularly important with independence. An official visit by Queen Elizabeth II was planned to the colony of Sierra Leone in 1959 as part of her tour of the Commonwealth. The trip was cancelled due to her pregnancy and several commemorative cloth designs already in the shops languished on shelves. The trip, with Prince Philip, finally occured in 1961, the year of Sierra Leone's independence. This cloth combines images of flags, crowns, the Queen and Government House in Freetown.

Description

Dark blue and white factory printed cloth with a repeating pattern featuring a central 3/4 portrait of Queen Elizabeth II in wreath medallions. Banners reading "1959 SIERRA LEONE 1959" appear above and banners reading "QUEEN ELIZABETH II" appear below. The top border features crowns, shields and flags, while the bottom border features an image of the Sierra Leone Governement House and is labeled "GOVERNMENT HOUSE FREETOWN." Repeat is 40.6 cm (16 in.).

Provenance

Lilburn Theurer Senn, Clemson, South Carolina, acquired in Sierra Leone, 1959 to 2002

Exhibition History

Festival of African American Literature and the Arts, The Brooks Center, Clemson University, South Carolina, September 17-21, 2001

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 Please note that some records are incomplete (missing image or content descriptions) and others reflect out-of-date language or systems of thought regarding how to engage with and discuss cultural heritage and the specifics of individual artworks.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 Donald A. Theuer and Lilburne Theuer Senn

1959

Object number

2002-9-4

Restrictions & Rights

Usage conditions apply

Type

Textile and Fiber Arts

Medium

Cotton, dye

Dimensions

H x W: 120.5 x 93.5 cm (47 7/16 x 36 13/16 in.)

Geography

Sierra Leone

See more items in

National Museum of African Art Collection

National Museum of African Art

Topic

Commemorative

foreigner

Writing

male

Record ID

nmafa_2002-9-4

Metadata Usage (text)

Usage conditions apply

GUID (Link to Original Record)

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ys7f0638296-d7bf-4e34-905e-7d2edf541106