Dimensions 49.53 × 30.48 cm (Acc. No. 1990-16-5)
This object from the collection of the Krannert Art Museum, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is a painted textile fragment comprising four contiguous plain weave cotton pieces, featuring warp headings, a PR weft selvage, and partial iconography of anthropomorphic figures with headdresses and earspools. Upper borders depict stylized birds and linear motifs.
The textile was assessed in 2022 as being in “poor” condition. Although flexible with no active powdering, it exhibited surface dullness, discoloration, small stains, and torn edges with matted yarns.
Treatment included removal from the support fabric, photographic documentation, surface cleaning under low suction, and careful humidification using Reemay and Gore-Tex to reduce creasing. A solubility test confirmed stability. Tangled yarns were straightened, revealing additional figural details.
Fragments were rejoined and secured onto a custom-toned cotton support fabric. A darker-toned insert was added behind a loss for stabilization and visual integration. Toned cotton threads were used for stitching, and all materials were pre-washed and tested for suitability. The treatment stabilized the textile’s structure while visually clarifying its iconography.
