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Appliqué workers, in street, Abomey, Benin

Catalog Data

Photographer:
Elisofon, Eliot  Search this
Collection Photographer:
Elisofon, Eliot  Search this
Extent:
1 Negatives (photographic) (b&w, 35mm.)
Culture:
Fon (African people)  Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Negatives (photographic)
Black-and-white negatives
Negatives
Place:
Africa
Benin
Date:
1971
Scope and Contents:
"Appliqué workers are Fon men and boys living in the city of Abomey who belong to a family guild that transmits patterns for design from one generation to the next. Bright colored designs depicting animals, objects and humans are cut of plain weave cotton and sewn to a cotton fabric background. They depict particular kings, chiefs and warriors and their great achievements, historical events or moral teachings. Design and technique remain traditional. The figure resemble bas-relief done on palace walls and the entrances to the quarters of important men." [Graham R., 1992: Textures: The Spirit of West African Textiles, Hofstra Museum]. During his trip to Dahomey (now Benin), Elisofon visited the town of Abomey, in the Fon people region. This photograph was taken when Eliot Elisofon was on assignment for Westinghouse Film and traveled to Africa from October 26, 1970 to end of March 1971.
Local Numbers:
EENG-VIII-39, 22.
General:
Title source: Index card based on photographer's notes.
Local Note:
Typed index card reads, "H 2 Fon. Fon. Dahomey, Abomey. Man making applique cloth. Feb.-Mar. 1971. EE. neg.no. VIII-39, 22." The card was written in 1977-79 by Archives staff using source provided by photographer.
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original records requires an appointment. Contact Archives staff for more details.
Collection Rights:
Permission to reproduce images from the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives must be obtained in advance. The collection is subject to all copyright laws.
Occupation:
Artists  Search this
Topic:
Cultural landscapes  Search this
Genre/Form:
Black-and-white negatives
Negatives
Collection Citation:
Eliot Elisofon Field Collection, EEPA 1973-001, Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution
Identifier:
EEPA.1973-001, Item EEPA EENG 03033
See more items in:
Eliot Elisofon Field collection
Eliot Elisofon Field collection / Benin
Archival Repository:
Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, National Museum of African Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/xo78e7bb9a6-3845-4a4b-877b-eabee4fbc56c
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-eepa-1973-001-ref30114