Factory print cloth may be manufactured in Europe or Asia for the African market or be made in an African factory and sold anywhere. Generally identified with bright colors and bold designs, it assumes a local name and symbolic meaning. One reason for success of factory printed cloth is the widespread practice of dressing alike for special events--weddings, funerals, anniversaries and especially for political events. Another is the quantity of cloth needed to make an outfit. Factory printed cloth is typically sold in 6 yard lots to women for a skirt and top, plus a shawl or head tie. It may be kept uncut as stored wealth.
The 1920s-1930s saw the introduction of Fancy cloth, large plain blocks of color with photographic imagery. Popular during colonial times, this technique became particularly important with independence. An official visit by Queen Elizabeth II was planned to the colony of Sierra Leone in 1959 as part of her tour of the Commonwealth. The trip was cancelled due to her pregnancy and several commemorative cloth designs already in the shops languished on shelves. The trip, with Prince Philip, finally occured in 1961, the year of Sierra Leone's independence.
Description:
Factory printed cloth with a repeating pattern featuring a central portrait of Queen Elizabeth II wearing a yellow dress with "E.R." printed underneath. Small portraits of Prince Phillip are under the central image. Red swag curtains appear above and beside the image along with two crossed flags and a royal star and crown. The background is a light faded brown. Repeat is 50.5 cm (19 7/8 in).
Provenance:
Lilburn Theurer Senn, Clemson, South Carolina, acquired in Sierra Leone, 1960 to 2002
Exhibition History:
Festival of African American Literature and the Arts, The Brooks Center, Clemson University, South Carolina, September 17-21, 2001
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