صور عروس مكيّة في لباس زفافها

Content
Genre/Subject Matter:

This full-length seated portrait shows a Meccan woman in bridal attire. She faces forward and looks towards the camera, both her hands held up, palms facing forwards on each side of her body.

The most prominent features of the woman’s attire are her imposing headdress and embroidered bib or collar-like piece, which extends from the neck to a width in excess of the woman’s body and then towards her thighs. The piece appears to be made from twisted and embroidered fabrics as well as chains of coins. Two long plaits extend from her neck downwards across this piece before being woven into longer metal wands, appearing to extend the natural length of the hair. A bell is at the end of each. The woman’s robe is likely made of embroidered silk and she wears two thick anklets about her ankles. Tattooed or painted arches extend from the bridge of her nose upwards along her brow bone and down again to her outer brows.

The woman is seated on a cushion-strewn seat or divan, covered in a monochrome printed fabric, featuring trees and shrubbery. Beading and an overlapping edge is visible on the upright part of the seat.

The negative has had hand-work applied, causing it to take on a soft-shaded paint-like quality in places.

Inscriptions:

Printed above image, in ink:

XXV

Printed beneath image, in ink:

‘Mekkanerin im Brautanzug.'

A circular 'British Museum' blind stamp is located in the lower left corner.

Extent and format
1 collotype print
Physical characteristics
Dimensions:

136 x 98 mm

Format:

1 collotype print

Condition:

The print is in good condition.

Foliation:

‘XXV’

Written in
German in Latin script