19th-Century Central Asia silk & leather exhibition begins in September
30 Aug '05
3 min read
Coat Central Asia Kazakh Late 19th - early 20th century
On view at The Textile Museum from September 2, 2005 through February 26, 2006, the exhibition Silk & Leather: Splendid Attire of 19th-Century Central Asia features 37 19th-century garments and accessories worn by the ruling class and urban and nomadic elites of the region which today encompasses Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and part of Kazakhstan.
The exhibition includes seven stunning coats, children's clothing, and accessory items such as hats, boots, belts, pigtail covers, purses, pouches and veils. Few of the objects have been previously exhibited or published, and all but two, gifts to The Textile Museum from Caroline McCoy-Jones, are drawn from private collections. A full-color catalogue accompanies the exhibition.
The Exhibition until the Russian conquest completed in the late 19th century, the western part of Central Asia was ruled for much of its history by different groups who originated in the Eurasian steppes.
Although they largely gave up their nomadic lifestyle, these ruling elites retained their taste for rugs, textiles and the garments worn on the steppe. Their apparel was created to please the wearer and to express political power, wealth, group identity or marital status in a multi-ethnic region that included many nomads and settled nomads. Seven coats in the exhibition – including three for men, three for women, and one for a child –illustrate the kinds of materials, dyes, designs, methods of decoration and structures used--more--Silk & Leather during the 19th century, a period that ended a long tradition of sartorial splendor. The coats are complemented by other embroidered items on display, including hats worn by men,
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