Collection record · Dress & textiles
Wall Hanging (msimsim)
The collection record classifies this work as textile. It is dated 1800s. Recorded culture or place: Africa, North Africa, Morocco, Tétouan, Moroccan weaver(s).
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A closer look at the details.
- Museum title
- Wall Hanging (msimsim)
- Date
- 1800s
- Culture / origin
- Africa, North Africa, Morocco, Tétouan, Moroccan weaver(s)
- Materials and technique
- Silk, dye
- Dimensions
- Overall: 314.9 x 62.5 cm (124 x 24 5/8 in.)
- Artist / maker
- Not specified by the museum
- Museum
- The Cleveland Museum of Art
- Accession number
- 2003.86
FROM THE MUSEUM
In the museum’s words
The following description is reproduced from the Cleveland Museum of Art’s original English record.
Msimsim wall hangings were one of three standard marriage gifts (ṣdāq or mahr) from a groom to a bride in Tétouan, Morocco, as recorded by marriage contracts from 1794 to 1894. These gifts indicated the financial commitment of marriage: divorce occurred if they weren’t promptly received! This msimsim was made from silk harvested in Tétouan, or from raw Asian silk imported via Marseille. Its traditional design is a double-sided gridded brocade (raised woven pattern), navy on one side, crimson on the other. When this was woven, at least 25 professional silk workshops flourished in Tétouan, producing bridal gifts and other goods that outsold European imports.
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Text and image sources
The Cleveland Museum of Art · Gift of The Textile Art Alliance · CC0
The summary is based on public collection data. Refer to the museum’s latest record for the title, date and attribution.
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