Robe
ClassificationsClothing and Adornments-principal attire (entire body)
Artist
Maggie Kadanaha
(Tlingit, 1873 - 1959)
Culture
Tlingit
Dateearly 20th Century
Made AtAlaska, United States, North America
Collection SiteHaines, Alaska, United States
MediumMountain goat’s wool with cedar bark warp strand and pigment
DimensionsHanging: 54 × 74 × 1 in. (137.2 × 188 × 2.5 cm)
Flat: 54 × 87 × 1 in. (137.2 × 221 × 2.5 cm)
Flat: 54 × 87 × 1 in. (137.2 × 221 × 2.5 cm)
Credit LineGift of the Herbert W. Clark Trust
Object number2016.14.1
DescriptionIn Edward S. Curtis’ book titled "The Kwakiutl", he elaborates on the coloration and dye techniques, “The most dramatic effect that European trade goods had on the dyes of the Dancing Blanket was to change the yellow-green color in the blankets to a blue-green. The first weavers used a fourth color obtained from an oxide of copper and urine. The dye bath was produced by soaking copper in old urine and leaving it to settle for approximately four months. The resulting liquid was a beautiful blue-green color. Wool when immersed in this liquid before it was heated, immediately took on this delightful hue. One can easily imagine the frustration of the weavers when they rinsed the yarns, and the color changed to a dull green. Even if left to soak for a week, the color, which eventually stayed in the wool was not the blue-green of the liquid-dye. Simmering yarns for half an hour produced a yarn, which, when rinsed, turned golden yellow and when dried, changed to olive green.” P. 68On View
Not on viewCollections
20th Century
late 19th to early 20th Century
late 19th to early 20th Century
late 19th to early 20th Century
late 19th to early 20th Century