Ensemble
Unknown Artist
19th century
Medium
Silk
Dimensions
Robe (a): H. 57 in. (144.8 cm) W. 82 1/4 in. (208.9 cm) Girdle (b): H. 70 1/4 in. (178.4 cm) W. 2 1/4 in. (5.7 cm) D. 3/4 in. (1.9 cm) Cap (c): H. 5 1/2 in. (15 cm) W. 8 in. (20.3 cm) D. 8 in. (20.3 cm) Cloth (d): H. 48 in. (121.9 cm) W. 35 in. (88.9 cm)
Classification
Main dress-Menswear
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Irene Lewisohn and Alice Lewisohn Crowley, 1939
Accession Number
C.I.39.91.35a–d
Art Historical Context
This exquisite 19th-century silk ensemble from the Islamic world represents a complete man's outfit, comprising a flowing robe (57 inches high), a slender girdle (over 70 inches long), structured cap, and a rectangular cloth, likely used as a shawl or turban wrap. Crafted from luxurious silk—a prized material in Islamic textile traditions—these garments showcase the era's masterful weaving techniques, where fine threads created lightweight yet opulent fabrics ideal for layered dressing in varied climates. In the 19th century, such ensembles held profound cultural significance in regions like ...