Man's Informal Robe
Mid-18th century
Medium
Cotton, plain weave foundation; painted and resist-dyed
Dimensions
109.2 × 135.6 cm (43 1/4 × 53 1/4 in.)
Classification
textile
Department
Textiles
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
236223
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
This type of robe was called a banyan in 18th-century Europe, but the style was worn around the world. This garment could have belonged to a native of Sumatra, or a Dutch trader living in what is now modern-day Indonesia. Dutch settlers who came to the region with the Dutch East India Company (a global commercial and colonial enterprise founded in 1602 that established a major administrative hub on the island of Java soon after) often adopted regional clothing styles, such as this Indian painted...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...