The Cleveland Museum of Art
Collection Online as of April 18, 2024
Wall Hanging (msimsim)
1800s
Overall: 314.9 x 62.5 cm (124 x 24 5/8 in.)
Gift of The Textile Art Alliance 2003.86
Location: not on view
Did You Know?
Some scholars believe these checkerboard fabrics were traded, and eventually influenced patterns in some West African strip woven textiles.Description
Msimsim wall hangings were one of three standard marriage gifts (ṣdāq or mahr) from a groom to a bride in Tétouan, Morocco, as recorded by marriage contracts from 1794 to 1894. These gifts indicated the financial commitment of marriage: divorce occurred if they weren’t promptly received! This msimsim was made from silk harvested in Tétouan, or from raw Asian silk imported via Marseille. Its traditional design is a double-sided gridded brocade (raised woven pattern), navy on one side, crimson on the other. When this was woven, at least 25 professional silk workshops flourished in Tétouan, producing bridal gifts and other goods that outsold European imports.- 2003(Ivo Grammet, New York, NY, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art)2003-The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
- Stories From Storage. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (February 7-May 16, 2021).
- {{cite web|title=Wall Hanging (msimsim)|url=false|author=|year=1800s|access-date=18 April 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}
Source URL:
https://www.clevelandart.org/art/2003.86