Indonesian Man's Mantle

Deep blue-black cloth with faint stripes and a fringe like a tidy beard.

This man's woven cotton mantle from Flores is from Flores, Indonesia, and dates to the 20th century. Handwoven cotton cloth in eastern Indonesia is often patterned by tying the threads before dyeing, a method known as ikat, which creates blurred, rhythmic designs. Tall rectangular textile in dark indigo, almost black, with very subtle vertical lines and thin red edge threads. A knotted fringe hangs along the top and a longer, loose fringe falls at the bottom. It is 85 inches wide and 45 long.

Dark and subtle, with a modest sense of drama.