Kuba Cloth with Designs in Yellow, Orange, and Black Fields.
Artist
Congolese (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
Date
20th centuryMedium
Raffia fiberDimensions
Work : 10 ft. 9 in. x 21 3/4 in. (3.3 m x 55.25 cm)Credit Line
Hope College CollectionObject Number
2018.22.3
Label
In Kuba culture, raffia cloth is traditionally woven by men, but the embroidered and appliqué decoration is usually added by women. Lengths of decorated cloth like this are sometimes used to make clothing for ceremonial occasions, but may also be kept as status symbols, given in dowries, or traded as a kind of barter currency. This piece of cloth was probably made for the overseas commercial market, where there has been a strong interest in Kuba textiles since the early 20th century.
