Mahdiyya State, Sudan
Tunic (Jibbeh)
INV-1985
Mahdiyya State, Sudan1885/99
Tunic (Jibbeh)
Mahdiyya State, Sudan →Arts of the Islamic WorldArts of Africa19th centuryeast africantunicarts of Africa
Date
1885/99
Medium
Layers of cotton, plain weave; pieced and quilted; appliquéd with wool and wool and cotton plain weaves and wool twill weaves; embroidered with cotton in chain, cross, and a derivative of herringbone stitches; applied plied yarn edging; lined with cotton plain weaves; pieced
Dimensions
93.7 × 116.8 cm (36 7/8 × 46 in.)
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Location
Chicago, IL
Credit
African and Amerindian Curator's Discretionary, Holly and David Ross, Arnold H. Crane, African and Amerindian Art Purchase, and O. Renard Goltra funds
Sudanese soldiers wore these tailored tunics to mark their role in the Mahdist state’s fight for independence from British and Egyptian rule in the late 19th century. Appliqué elements, such as the sewn shapes seen here, have long held religious significance in Sudan when they appear as talismanic pockets. They also reference the woolen patches haphazardly applied to homemade garments that Sufi followers wore to declare their contempt for worldly goods. The orderly design of this tunic symbolizes a unified army. The clean lines and uniform arrangement of patches symbolize the Mahdi’s efforts to centralize and organize military loyalties, while still honoring soldiers’ long-held Sufi beliefs.
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