Yoruba Adire Eleko Indigo Textile

c. 1950
$488 USD SOLD
Dimensions
W: 77.0" D: 0.25" H: 63.0"
Materials
Cotton
Collection #
CAA1533
Estimated Shipping
$20

A dizzying array of intricate patterns covers this beautiful indigo textile by the Yoruba people of Nigeria. Hand-dyed by women, this style of indigo cloth is known as adire eleko and is made by applying cassava starch to white cotton in fine lines. When the starch has dried, the cloth is dipped in indigo dye, yielding decorative designs of light blue against a dark indigo background. This textile was likely created using tin stencils made from British tea boxes, an aid that drastically shortened the time-consuming process of patterning the cloth. With detailed linework and an exuberant display of pattern, this textile is nevertheless a stunning example of a traditional craft.

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Elizabeth Krueger | Elizabeth Krueger Design

“PAGODA RED was extremely supportive in helping to pull accessory options together for the Lake Forest Showhouse. After providing them with details and our vision on how we were looking to finish our space, Laurene helped curate options that made it easy for us to edit and finalize. It's also no surprise that the unique pieces we used in our showhouse space were some of the first to sell.”

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