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Object Number 2000.16.1
Display Title Tapa
Descriptions
Object Description Tapa. Cloth appears Samoan in its production and overall appearance, a siapo valu. Medium-weight off-white (natural) two layer cloth decorated in a matte red-brown paint by rubbing over a wood carved design tablet with additional free-hand overpainting in a dark brown-black resinous-like paint. Block repeat is 65-66 cm W x 29-30 cm h (two repeats across width); design is contained within blocks with varying repeating motifs. Narrow black (.5 to 1.0 cm) outlining between the blocks and perimeter outlining 1.0 to 1.5 cm wide in black paint. Several large black circles appear on the cloth typical of Samoan cloths. Grain direction is lengthwise on face side and widthwise on rear side. Four cut perimeter edges also typical of Samoan produced cloths.
Inventory Description Tapa cloth, rectangular, painted grid and geometric design
Classification
  • Tapa
Department Ethnographic
Date 19th century
Culture
  • Tonga
Geography/Provenience/Site Name
Oceania / Tonga?
Oceania / Samoa?
Dimensions Overall: 288.29 x 130.81 cm (113 1/2 x 51 1/2 in.)
Quantity 1
Credit Line Gift of Blair F. Baldwin, Class of 2002
Provenance
Collector Harris Fahnestock (1890's)
Donor Blair F. Baldwin (May 23, 2000)

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