Veil
ca. 1850 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This women’s veil is known as an ajar. During the nineteenth century wealthy woman from urban areas in Tunisia used them to cover their face and head while they were out in public. In the centre is a black rectangle that has been woven so finely it is transparent, this would hide the woman’s face while at the same time allowing her to see out. Around the black panel are elaborately decorated woven borders. The motifs show both Turkish and Andalusian influences and an Arabic inscription has been incorporated into the pattern.
This ajar was one of seventeen textiles purchased by the V&A from the Tunis stand at the Great Exhibition of 1851, and is therefore one of the first textiles from Africa to have been acquired by the V&A.
This ajar was one of seventeen textiles purchased by the V&A from the Tunis stand at the Great Exhibition of 1851, and is therefore one of the first textiles from Africa to have been acquired by the V&A.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Lampasm woven silk with gilt metal thread |
| Brief description | Woven silk veil, known as ajar, Tunisia, ca. 1850 |
| Physical description | Woven silk veil. Black lampas silk ground with broad coloured and gold borders. |
| Dimensions |
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| Object history | One of seventeen textiles purchased by the V&A from the Tunis Stand at the Great Exhibtion of 1851. |
| Association | |
| Summary | This women’s veil is known as an ajar. During the nineteenth century wealthy woman from urban areas in Tunisia used them to cover their face and head while they were out in public. In the centre is a black rectangle that has been woven so finely it is transparent, this would hide the woman’s face while at the same time allowing her to see out. Around the black panel are elaborately decorated woven borders. The motifs show both Turkish and Andalusian influences and an Arabic inscription has been incorporated into the pattern. This ajar was one of seventeen textiles purchased by the V&A from the Tunis stand at the Great Exhibition of 1851, and is therefore one of the first textiles from Africa to have been acquired by the V&A. |
| Bibliographic reference | Miller, Lesley Ellis, and Ana Cabrera Lafuente, with Claire Allen-Johnstone, eds. Silk: Fibre, Fabric and Fashion. London: Thames & Hudson Ltd in association with the Victoria and Albert Museum, 2021. ISBN 978-0-500-48065-6.
This object features in the publication Silk: Fibre, Fabric and Fashion (2021) |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 830-1852 |
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| Record created | June 24, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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