Woman's Ceremonial Skirt
INV-1340Kuba
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Late 19th century-early 20th century
kuba (democratic republic of congo styleArts of Africaafricangeometrictextileneedlework (visual works)
Date
Late 19th century-early 20th century
Medium
Raffia, plain weave; embroidered with raffia in buttonhole, pearl, and stem stitches, and running stitches cut to form pile; edged with raffia and hemp, plain weave, 2:2 oblique interlacing, and raffia-wrapped-raffia cord
Dimensions
165.2 × 78.8 cm (65 × 31 in.)
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Location
Chicago, IL
Credit
Gift of Richard Faletti, the Faletti Family Collection
Assembled of individually worked panels sewn together, this skirt is embellished with an ever-shifting array of patterns. Although Kuba men are responsible for preparing and weaving raffia, Kuba women decorate the cloth with imagination and artistry. To make a skirt of this size, several women from the same extended family would contribute different sections. Raffia textiles have long been an important part of Kuba artistic production.
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