Indonesian Man's Mantle Depicting Village Scenes

A village laid out in red, from houses to horsemen.

Weavers of Timor, Indonesia, made this man’s mantle in cotton in the 20th century. Large cloths of this type are commonly worn or used in ceremony and exchange across Timor and neighboring islands. A deep orange field carries a central band of small figures, a house, riders on horses, birds and plants, woven in white, black and red. Patterned bands run along the top and bottom, and loose fringe finishes the ends.

About 79 inches long and 48 wide. A textile you read like a storybook, from left to right.