Collection Stories

From The George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum

Ceremonial Textile Fragment from Tibet

Post author By GW Museum
Post date December 13, 2023

Detail from a textile flag or banner spelling out a Tibetan mantra. The piece has a dark blue silk sateen ground with gilted leather script appliquéd with metallic thread.

Ceremonial textile fragment, Tibet, 17th-19th century. Gold leaf, leather, metallic thread, sateen, silk; embroidery, appliqué; 25 x 41 cm. Cotsen Textile Traces Study Collection T-1086.

Africa All

Chief’s Cape from the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Post author By GW Museum
Post date November 8, 2023

Top of dress form clothed in a cape made of raffia fiber

Cape (kinzembe or zamba kya mfumu), Kongo-related peoples, Democratic Republic of the Congo or Angola, possibly 19th century. Raffia palm fiber, looped, 64 x 165 x 90 cm. The Textile Museum Collection 1962.1.14. Museum purchase.

All Contemporary

Virginia Lee Demetrios’ “Finnish Hop”

Post author By GW Museum
Post date October 11, 2023

A printed cotton furnishing fragment, depicting dancing couples in four s-curve bands of alternating brown and white. Each couple is side by side, with arms around each other. Two selvages. — Photo by Bruce M. White Photography.

Virginia Lee Demetrios (American, 1909-1968) for F. Schumacher & Co., “Finnish Hop,” 1943 (designed). Cotton; printed, twill weave; 32 x 94 cm. Cotsen Textile Traces Study Collection T-2137.

All Islamic World

Cradle Cover from Uzbekistan

Post author By GW Museum
Post date September 13, 2023

Yellow, tented textile with a vertical slit down the center and red and white patterning

Cradle cover; Central Asia, Uzbekistan, Bukhara; 1870-1890. Silk, cotton; warp-faced plain weave, warp ikat, calendared; 71 x 90 cm. The Textile Museum Collection 2005.36.82A. The Megalli Collection.

All Europe

William Morris Curtain

Post author By GW Museum
Post date August 9, 2023

Detail of a textile with a repeating floral pattern in blue, green and yellow

William Morris (British, 1834-1896), curtain, c. 1883. Plain weave, block printed; 113 x 89 cm. The Textile Museum Collection 1991.8.1. Gift of Nora Stone Smith.