Hunter’s Shirt: Bògòlanfini or Bogolan Cloth
Hunter’s Shirt: Bògòlanfini or Bogolan Cloth
Artist
Bamana Peoples
(African)
Place of OriginMali, Beledougou region
DateMid 20th century
DimensionsH. 33 1/2 in. (85.1 cm): W. 31 1/2 in. (80 cm).
MediumCotton with mud-dyed painted design called bògòlanfini in Mali culture.
ClassificationTextiles and Fiber
Credit LineGift of Mr. and Mrs. Richard H. Slater
Object number
1981.133
Not on View
DescriptionConstructed of 7 long strip weavings sewn together lengthwise.
Label TextThis hunting shirt from Mali features a secret form of writing. Literally meaning “mud-cloth,” bògòlanfini garments like this one are woven by men of the Bamana people of Mali and painted with mud-dyes by elderly Bamana women, who guard the knowledge of the profound meaning of the designs they paint into the cloth. Through geometric motifs that form a rigorous graphic system of communication, bògòlanfini embody medicinal knowledge, historical facts, and moral precepts. Imbued with such information, the shirts are considered so potent that they must never be worn by another person after the original owner’s death. Bamana mud-cloth garments are considered documents, because they carry accumulated knowledge belonging to society.Published ReferencesRoberts, Mary Nooter, Facing Africa: The African Art Collection of the Toledo Museum of Art, Toledo Museum of Art, Toledo, 1998, pp. 28-29, repr. (col.).
Exhibition HistoryWashington, D.C., International Exhibitions Foundation, African Textiles and Jewelry from the Niger Delta, 1974-1976, no. 4.
20th century
20th century
Membership
Become a TMA member today
Support TMA
Help support the TMA mission