High Lama's Summer Hat, late 19th–early 20th century; Chinese, Qing dynasty, possibly Guangxu period or Xuantong period; silk satin damask with metallic silk braid and silk brocade over woven bamboo frame; 3 11/16 x 15 3/16 inches; Saint Louis Art Museum, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. F. Russell Fetté in memory of Helen Campbell Fetté 271:1986
Knit, woven, embroidered, or otherwise, hats have been around for millennia. They often carry social or cultural meaning or reflect current fashion trends. More than a dozen hats are featured in SLAM’s collection, and while originally made to be worn, now that they are in the Museum’s holdings, their purpose changed from one of function to something worth honoring and preserving. Read on for some head-covering highlights.
Kuba artist, Congo; Man's Prestige Hat (laket), 20th century; palm fiber; 5 1/2 x 12 x 12 inches; Saint Louis Art Museum, Gift of Thomas Alexander and Laura Rogers 1135:2010
Kuba artist, Congo; Man's Prestige Hat (laket), 20th century; palm fiber; 3 1/2 x 6 x 6 inches; Saint Louis Art Museum, Gift of Thomas Alexander and Laura Rogers 1136:2010
Laket
Each of these 20th-century prestige hats is known as a laket by the Kuba people of the Democratic Republic of Congo. A laket is a sign of status in Kuba culture and may only be worn by men who have been initiated and are ready to assume the role of married adults.
These lakets are made of undyed palm fiber using a coiling basketry technique and are basically skull caps with four scalloped edges or “ears.” They are pinned to the hair with metal pins that may be decorated with embellishments that also determine the status of the wearer
Kongo artist, Congo; Prestige Cap (mpu), 19th century; raffia palm or pineapple fiber; 9 1/2 x 7 inches; Saint Louis Art Museum, Friends Endowment Fund 465:2018
Mpu
This Kongo prestige cap, known as an mpu, was created by hand using knotting and looping techniques. The golden-tan oblong cap is made from raffia palm or pineapple fibers. Openwork knotting at the top of the cap forms a spiral and is the origin of the cap’s overall construction. From there, the fibers are delicately wrought, resulting in assorted interlacing and knotted geometric patterns in relief across the surface.
Male artisans produced these types of caps for noble men among the Kongo cultures of west central Africa. Caps such as this one from the 19th century formed part of chiefly insignia, along with a staff and/or seat.
Bamileke artist, Cameroon; Hat (ashetu), 20th century; cotton; 8 x 9 inches; Saint Louis Art Museum, Gift of Andres and Vanessa Moraga 42:2005
Ashetu
This 20th-century knitted hat, known as an ashetu, was made by a Bamileke artist in West Africa. It features natural-colored cotton yarn with narrow rows of blue stripes. Emanating from the blue stripes around the sides are knitted burl-like projections made of blue, green, and red yarns. These would have originally been filled with small pieces of wood.
One of the oldest forms of head coverings in Cameroon, this style of hat was originally made from raffia palm and decorated with elephant bristles and porcupine quills. The origins of the hat are thought to have evolved from wrapped and tufted hair styles worn by high-ranking men. This specific hair style appears on carved wooden masks and figures from the 19th and 20th centuries.
Tlingit artist; Salmon Clan Hat, 1850–1925; wood, paint, copper, abalone shell, and operculum; 15 x 28 1/2 inches; Saint Louis Art Museum, Gift of Morton D. May 274:1982a,b
Salmon clan hat
This cedar conical hat was made by a Tlingit artist from the Pacific Northwest Coast in the early 20th century. It is topped with a carved salmon fish effigy, a separate piece that fits into a slot. Painted red, green, black, and white, the hat also features a raven image. Shell inlay appears on the raven’s beak and eyes, along with the fish’s eyes, back teeth, and occasional scales. The four incisors of the fish are animal teeth.
Scholars have identified this wooden sculpture as replicating a significant form of basketry. Conical, woven hats bearing crests—or emblems of clans—such as the dog salmon, or L’eeneidi, count among the most significant objects in Tlingit ceremonies. The artist likely made this large wooden version for market sale as indicated by the painting style; notice the red checkerboard pattern at front that approximates the texture of woven spruce root.
High Lama's Summer Hat, late 19th–early 20th century; Chinese, Qing dynasty, possibly Guangxu period or Xuantong period; silk satin damask with metallic silk braid and silk brocade over woven bamboo frame; 3 11/16 x 15 3/16 inches; Saint Louis Art Museum, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. F. Russell Fetté in memory of Helen Campbell Fetté 271:1986
High Lama’s Summer Hat
This High Lama’s Summer Hat was made in the late 19th or early 20th century in China. It features a rounded crown and a wide flat brim. The interior is made of woven bamboo covered with bright-yellow silk-satin damask featuring roundels with five-clawed dragons. The top ends in a red silk knot above a border with stylized fungus forms. The hat’s brim is edged with a key-fret brocade, and its underside is covered with red silk damask.
Hats like this were made in China for use by visiting high-ranking Tibetan Buddhist monks known as lamas. The use of bright-yellow silk and five-clawed dragons are strong indications that such hats were commissioned by the imperial court at Beijing, a city with a number of important Tibetan Buddhist temples and monasteries.
Child's Cap, 18th century; European; embroidery on linen; 8 7/16 x 5 7/8 x 4 15/16 inches; Saint Louis Art Museum, Gift of Paul and Emily Ullman and Marion U. Cronheim in memory of their father 187:1994
Child’s Cap
This child’s cap features embroidery on white linen. The European bonnet dates to the 18th century and showcases superb workmanship and design. The dots that fill various elements of the design are individual stitches.
The bonnet is part of the Museum’s collection of lace, a style of textile which began in the 16th century and has evolved over the centuries.