Cape, c. 1850, 33 x 79 in. (83.82 x 200.66 cm) (flat, approx.), Feathers, cotton, United States, 19th century, This cape is an example of the frequent and enduring exchange with other cultures, both Native and non-Native, that in part shapes Native art. At the start of the 1800s, Native peoples experienced countless changes to their way of life. This feathered cape combines European-style clothing with Native needs and aesthetics. It resembles a pelerine, a type of shoulder cape worn by women in Europe and the United States, yet feathered capes were used as regalia in Native American communities before European settlement.
Cape, c. 1850, 33 x 79 in. (83.82 x 200.66 cm) (flat, approx.), Feathers, cotton, United States, 19th century, This cape is an example of the frequent and enduring exchange with other cultures, both Native and non-Native, that in part shapes Native art. At the start of the 1800s, Native peoples experienced countless changes to their way of life. This feathered cape combines European-style clothing with Native needs and aesthetics. It resembles a pelerine, a type of shoulder cape worn by women in Europe and the United States, yet feathered capes were used as regalia in Native American communities before European settlement.