Placket and Cuffs
Unknown Artist
late 1800s
Medium
Velvet, cotton
Dimensions
w. 19.2 cm, l. 43.9 cm · average: 12.5 × 30 cm
Classification
Garment
Department
Textiles
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Anonymous gift in memory of Sarah Ann Morrison
Accession Number
1956.788
About this artwork
In the 1800s, native peoples began to use European fabrics to fashion fine formal garments; they favored sturdy cloth, such as velvet and wool broadcloth, which provided support for heavy decorative beadwork that was added by hand. Often the fabric was a dark color, providing dramatic contrast for the multicolored beads. Rather than encrusting the entire garment, beadwork was confined to cuffs, “epaulettes,” bib-like plackets and yokes, rectangular panels sewn to leggings, shirts, and dresses, a...