Ndop Display Panel
Bamileke people, Cameroon Grasslands
20th century
Cotton strip weave, indigo dye; free-hand drawing; stitch-resist dyeing
H 42½ ins; W 40½ ins (106.25 x 101.25 cm)
A pair of crouching leopards in this luminously blue panel from a Ndop ceremonial hanging represent the most majestic and sacred cultural icon of the Bamum and Bamileke peoples of the Cameroon Grasslands.
This powerful composition combines a rare large scale, figurative element drawn freehand and patterned with a mesmerizing swirl of tie-dye circles. The figures are embedded in the classic geometric emblems of Ndop cloth, which are executed with a laborious stitch and resist dyeing technique. The style is related to compositions produced by the renowned Bamileke textile artist Kamwa Simo, or his family workshop, which has been active since the 1960s.
Ndop textiles were prominently displayed on royal and funerary occasions or incorporated into chiefly ceremonial regalia. Originally this complete panel was attached to other sections to create a larger display cloth.
Price on request
