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Pillow sham
Attributed to: Asnaku Melese (Ethiopian, 20th century)
Ethiopian
1990–2012
Object Place: Israel
Medium/Technique
Cotton plain weave and twill, acrylic embroidery
Dimensions
Length x width: 35.6 x 40.6 cm (14 x 16 in.)
Credit Line
Gift of Judith Manelis
Accession Number2012.837
NOT ON VIEW
CollectionsContemporary Art, Africa and Oceania, Judaica, Fashion and Textiles
ClassificationsTextiles
DescriptionSquare, embroidered pillow sham with pictoral image of Adam and Eve on front. Very bright colors used to render animals, plants and Adam and Eve seated at right side of image. The surface is completely covered with lines of chain stitched embroidery in brightly colored acrylic threads in purple, red, yellow, blue, and brown. Reverse is solid black material with split in middle to insert pillow, where a twill tape label is sewn.
InscriptionsEmbroidered in chain stitch in black acrylic thread on white cotton twill tape sewn inside:
ASNAKU MELESE
ASNAKU MELESE
ProvenanceMid-1990s, given by the North American Conference on Ethiopian Jewry to Judith Manelis, Lexington, MA; 2012, gift of Judith Manelis to the MFA. (Accession Date: October 24, 2012)