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Thumbnail-size images of copyrighted artworks are displayed under fair use, in accordance with guidelines recommended by the Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for the Visual Arts, published by the College Art Association in February 2015.
Pillow sham
Attributed to: Mekonen Asikenaw (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 Number2012.835
NOT ON VIEW
CollectionsContemporary Art, Africa and Oceania, Judaica, Fashion and Textiles
ClassificationsTextiles
DescriptionSquare, embroidered pillow sham with large white dove at center. Symbolic depiction of Jerusalem and Western Wall in background. Dove carries seated figures playing instruments. 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:
MEKONEN ASIKENAW
MEKONEN ASIKENAW
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)