Man's Overskirt
INV-7038Kuba
Democratic Republic of the Congo
20th century
kuba (democratic republic of congo styleArts of Africaafricantextileneedlework (visual works)
Date
20th century
Medium
Center field: raffia, plain weave; stamped or painted; borders: alternating bands of cotton and raffia, plain and twill weaves; resist dyed, painted, or stamped; and raffia, plain weave; embroidered with raffia in running stitches cut to form pile; all edged with raffia, plain weave with knotted, cut pompons; end: raffia, plain weave; tie-dyed; joined with raffia yarns in pearl stitches
Dimensions
60.4 × 171.3 cm (23 3/4 × 67 3/8 in.)
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Location
Chicago, IL
Credit
Dr. and Mrs. Magnus P. Urnes Endowment
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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