West African Prestige Robes from the Musee du Quai Branly, Paris.

Below are a selection of unusual and early robes from the Musee du Quai Branly, Paris.  Their entire collection may be viewed online here.

Boubou tilbi, Musee du Quai Branly, Paris #73.1963.0.951. Jenne or Timbuctou, Mali, early C20th.

Boubou lomasa, Soninke peoples, Segou region, Mali, early C20th. Musee du Quai Branly, Paris#71.1934.0.34

Rare style of robe from the Bamana people, Segou region, Mali, before 1878. Musee du Quai Branly, Paris 71.1880.69.8

Nupe or Hausa robe from Nigeria collected in the Sahara region of Tamanrasset, Algeria., Nineteenth century. Musee du Quai Branly, Paris # 71.1938.5.1

Talismanic robe, Guinea, collected from Chief Kimné Condetto in 1889. Musee du Quai Branly, Paris#71.1905.44.1

Manding chief's robe, Liberia, C19th or early C20th. Musee du Quai Branly, Paris #70.2007.21.1

 

Boubous tilbi – embroidered robes from Mali

“Boubou tilbi form the most noble, and at the same time the most autonomous, artisanal tradition, in the two ancient cities of Mali, Jenne and Timbuktu, centres of commerce and of culture. Boubous tilbi were made from white cotton, on which can be distinguished very fine and complicated ecru silk embroidery, the silk for which was imported. ….boubous tilbi were a symbol of luxury and wealth. An embroidered robe represented almost three years of work, sometimes more.” Bernhard Gardi Le boubous c’est chic (Editions Christoph Merian, 2000:96) my translation.

Click on the images to enlarge. The robe is in the British Museum, Af1966,01.3, photo courtesy Trustees of the British Museum. Vintage postcards, early C20th, author’s collection.

For more on boubous tilbi see Bernhard Gardi Le boubous c’est chic (Editions Christoph Merian, 2000) and Victoria Rovine Continuity, Innovation, Fashion – Three genres of Malian embroidery, in African Arts 44(3) Autumn 2011.