Man's or Woman's Robe
Uzbekistan, possibly from Bukhara
late 19th to early 20th century
Warp-faced plain weave silk warp and weft ikat (abr, kanaous, or shabi)
Collar to hem: 49½"/127.7 cm
Cuff to cuff: 68"/172.7 cm
Kent State University Museum, Silverman/Rodgers Collection, KSUM 1983.1.1988.

Dovetailing triangular geometric motifs in grayish-pink (ground color), yellow, raspberry, purple and blue. Decorative embroidery in white thread in a swirling pattern at top sleeve. Multi-colored cotton thread embroidery at waist level. Needlepoint embroidery at collar possibly done by the Lakai tribe. Waist closure with narrow woven red and green braid and beaded tassels. Unlined.

Unlike the structured silk-weaving industry in which men were weavers, reelers, warpers and dyers, needlework was essentially a woman's household occupation. In the early part of the 19th century, gold-embroidery was the only kind of needlework done by men as it was thought that women's hands could tarnish the precious metal (1).

This state of affairs resulted in the proliferation of hand-embroidered wall hangings and bed and bolster covers known as suzanis, as well as other decorative pieces. Always covered with floral motifs, suzanis also displayed large circular patterns popularly called suns and moons. A traditional domestic art, suzanis were more conservative than the experimental ikats that they nevertheless influenced. In the piece seen above, a special collar of cross-stitched embroidery was tacked onto the robe and probably worn for a special occasions.

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(1) Kate Fitz Gibbon and Andrew Hale, Ikat: Splendid Silks of Central Asia: the Guido Goldman Collection (Lawrence King Publishing in association with Alan Marcuson Publishing, 1999), 54.