The George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum

The George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum The George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum unites the Textile Museum's collection and the Albert H. Small Washingtoniana collection.
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Located in the heart of Washington, D.C., the George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum celebrates the creative achievements of local and global cultures from antiquity through today.

A bag like this would have been used by a Bolivian man to carry food, money and other small items.Despite its utilitaria...
06/01/2026

A bag like this would have been used by a Bolivian man to carry food, money and other small items.

Despite its utilitarian purpose, the bag is richly decorated with figural motifs and vibrant interwoven designs. Lateral stripes rendered with red, pink, green and yellow wool depict alternating patterns. Geometric diamonds and stripes are accompanied by small horse motifs. Small tassels hang from the bottom of the bag, and a combination of braided and woven wool comprises the strap.

Image: Man’s bag; Bolivia, Department La Paz, Providence Bautista Saavedra. Wool, glass bead; plain weave, double cloth; 28 x 41 cm. The Textile Museum Collection 1962.50.1. Alan R. Sawyer.

For , we’re highlighting a Javanese batik identified as a “kain sisihan,” a type of hip wrapper distinguished by contra...
05/29/2026

For , we’re highlighting a Javanese batik identified as a “kain sisihan,” a type of hip wrapper distinguished by contrasting sections across the design.

One half features a north coast interpretation of the “parang” motif, in which diagonal bands resemble alternating feathers. In the other half, branching vines enclose a house, deer, birds, dog-lion figures, insects, turtles and scorpions, reflecting the lively Chinese-influenced imagery found in coastal batiks. Rendered in traditional hand-drawn batik, the cloth rewards close looking at every turn.

Images: “Kain sisihan”; Indonesia, Java; 1870-1880. Cotton; batik, batik tulis; 108 x 260 cm. The Textile Museum Collection 1985.12.11. Gift of Sanford and Mary Jane Bloom.

This saddle cover was masterfully crafted with appliqué and embroidery in an Iranian workshop. Vibrantly colored motifs ...
05/28/2026

This saddle cover was masterfully crafted with appliqué and embroidery in an Iranian workshop. Vibrantly colored motifs and swirling patterns showcase the high level of labor and artisanship involved in the production of such a sumptuous textile.

Visit “Adorning the Horse: Equestrian Textiles for Power and Prestige” to see the impressively detailed design up close! https://museum.gwu.edu/adorning-horse-equestrian-textiles-power-and-prestige

Saddle cover; Rasht, Iran; 19th century. Wool, silk; fulled plain weave, embroidery with chain stitch and couching, appliqué, patchwork, warp twining; 154 x 178 cm. The Textile Museum Collection 2021.17.16. Brick Freedman Collection.

Gallery photo by Abby Greenawalt.

For today’s , we are celebrating Africa Day with the vibrant beauty of Ghanian kente cloth. Handwoven by skilled artisa...
05/25/2026

For today’s , we are celebrating Africa Day with the vibrant beauty of Ghanian kente cloth.

Handwoven by skilled artisans in West Africa, each cloth is created by stitching together narrow strips that were made using traditional weaving techniques. This cloth — made from 20 intricately woven strips — would have been worn wrapped around the body and draped over the left shoulder. Kente embodies a powerful symbol of heritage, craftsmanship and cultural pride.

Kente cloth; Ewe people; West Africa, Ghana; 1950. Cotton, silk; strip-loom woven, supplementary weft patterning; 262 x 193 cm. The Textile Museum Collection 1975.17.12. Gift of Fred M. Fernald.

Presented in our exhibition “Adorning the Horse: Equestrian Textiles for Power and Prestige,” this under-saddle cloth fr...
05/22/2026

Presented in our exhibition “Adorning the Horse: Equestrian Textiles for Power and Prestige,” this under-saddle cloth from Iran shows how functional textiles could also become powerful displays of artistry.

Woven in the Veramin region of Iran, it combines flatwoven and piled sections into a single design, creating shifts in texture as well as color. The precise geometric patterning transformed a practical covering into a striking statement of craftsmanship and prestige.

Images: Under-saddle cloth; Lur people; Iran, Veramin, Garmsar, 1890-1910. Wool; knotted pile, symmetrical knot, slit tapestry weave, weft-faced plain weave, supplementary-weft wrapping; 147 x 140 cm. The Textile Museum Collection 2021.17.54. Brick Freedman Collection

05/21/2026

There’s just one month left to see “Adorning the Horse: Equestrian Textiles for Power and Prestige”! Travel through Asia and 1,300 years of history to discover the significance of horses and textiles in societies throughout the region. Join us in commemorating the Year of the Horse before this exhibition closes.

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Referred to as a “yui age,” the name of this Japanese textile translates to “tied up.” Meant to be fastened around the m...
05/21/2026

Referred to as a “yui age,” the name of this Japanese textile translates to “tied up.” Meant to be fastened around the mid-section of a horse, yui age are most commonly depicted on “e-ma” — wooden plaques that visitors can engrave as offerings in shrines and temples.

In ancient customs, horses were offered in sacrifice to gods, a tradition which has since been replaced by the use of images of horses. This Japanese woodblock print from 1810 features a yui age in use — tied around the horse as if “gift wrapped” for the gods.

Belly cover (yui age), Japan, Meiji period (1868-1912). H**p; plain weave, painted resist; 578 x 83 cm. The Textile Museum Collection 2021.17.47. Brick Freedman Collection.

“Boy with White Horse” (detail), Japan, 1810. Paper; Surimono, color woodblock print; 40 x 52 cm. The British Museum 2021,3013.637. © The Trustees of the British Museum.

For today’s we are spotlighting the vibrant embroidery of a small bag from Uzbekistan. The design is characteristic o...
05/18/2026

For today’s we are spotlighting the vibrant embroidery of a small bag from Uzbekistan.

The design is characteristic of the Lakai people’s style. Silk needlepoint decorates the surface with geometric motifs and an interlocking key border. Traditionally, older Lakai women draw out these complex patterns for younger brides, who then devote several years to embroidering multiple objects for their dowry.

Bag, Uzbekistan, 20th century. Cotton, silk; embroidery, printed; 17 x 13 cm. Cotsen Textile Traces Study Collection T-1752. Photo by Bruce M. White Photography.

For , we’re highlighting a beaded apron-like garment (dibul kouana) from northern Cameroon. Its crescent-shaped form is...
05/15/2026

For , we’re highlighting a beaded apron-like garment (dibul kouana) from northern Cameroon. Its crescent-shaped form is densely worked with glass beads in repeating diamonds of red, navy, green, white and yellow, creating a vivid interplay of colors.

Along the lower edge, twisted cotton cords weighted with cowrie shells add movement as the wearer walks or dances. Worn low on the hips for ceremonial occasions, garments like this communicated social identity and participation in community life.

Images: Cache-sexe (dibul kouana); Bana Guili people; northern Cameroon. Bead, glass bead, cotton, cowrie shell; heading cord, lark’s head knot, beaded; 58 x 17 cm. The Textile Museum Collection 1999.31.18. Gift of Mark S. Rapoport, M. D., and Jane C. Hughes.

How does the display of artworks affect your experience in the gallery? For our exhibition “Adorning the Horse: Equestri...
05/14/2026

How does the display of artworks affect your experience in the gallery?

For our exhibition “Adorning the Horse: Equestrian Textiles for Power and Prestige,” we employed the help of two prop horses to show how saddle covers and horse blankets are worn. You can see here how two horse blankets would have been layered to keep a horse warm during harsh winters.

Learn more about the exhibition: https://museum.gwu.edu/adorning-horse-equestrian-textiles-power-and-prestige

Image 1: Photo by Pulok Pramanik/the George Washington University.

Image 2: Horse blanket, Afghanistan, c. 1900. Wool, goat hair; plain weave, felted; 188 x 157 cm. The Textile Museum Collection 2021.17.5. Brick Freedman Collection.

Image 3: Horse blanket; Yomut, Turkmenistan; c. 1850. Wool; knotted-pile, symmetrical knot; 234 x 143 cm. The Textile Museum Collection 2021.17.66. Brick Freedman Collection.

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