Africa, DRC*, Zaire, Kuba Confederation, Shoowa peoples

Plain weave, cut-pile, over-stitch embroidery, brown, natural raffia

Early 20th century

1’10 ½” x 1’7 ¼”   Mounted

Price: $3500

*Democratic Republic of the Congo
 

Raffia is made into a plain woven cloth by men and then embroidered by women. The cut-pile embroidered cloths are symbols of rank, and many of them are placed on the body of the deceased during funeral ceremonies. From approximately four basic patterns, the imaginative Shoowa women create delightfully inventive renditions. In this example, stacking the brown/tan bar lines, the embroiderer achieves visual 3-dimensional blocks, and the lyrical swath of stacked solid golden yellow lines caps this impressive visual statement.