Raffia Textile Panel

Accession Number
2014/2.89

Title
Raffia Textile Panel

Artist(s)
Kuba

Artist Nationality
Kuba (Democratic Republic of Congo style)

Object Creation Date
19th century - 20th century

Medium & Support
raffia palm fiber

Dimensions
25 1/2 in x 21 1/4 in (64.77 cm x 53.98 cm)

Credit Line
Gift of the Robbins Center for Cross Cultural Communications in memory of Warren M. Robbins

Subject matter
The Kuba peoples are renowned for their elaborate, geometrical surface design, such as applied to this cloth. Also referred to as cut pile, raffia cloth, Shoowa textile or Kasai velvet (Velours du Kasai), their plush “velvet” texture is achieved through the cut pile technique, where a sharp knife is used to gently clip off the tufts of the palm threads.

In the 19th century, decorated raffia cloth was used as a marker of prestige, as currency, to pay tribute, settle legal disputes, and in public displays such as the funerals of high-ranking titleholders. Additionally, they were often used as initiation objects during ceremonial rites of passage. The textiles are generally covered with geometric patterns, similar to patterns found on Kuba basketry, woodwork, sculpture, and female body scarifications. More recently industrial cloth has been used as a replacement.

References:
Monni Adams, Kuba Embroidered Cloth, African Arts, 1978
Daniel Biebuyck, The Arts of Zaire, 1985
Georges Meurant, African Textiles from the Kingdom of Kuba, 1986
Roy Sieber, African Textiles and Decorative Arts, 1972

Physical Description
A square panel with tan hemmed edges. The panel's design is divided into four quadrants, described per image orientation: the upper right quadrant consists of repeating alternated brown and tan chevrons; upper left quadrant consists of repeating brown "S"-shaped lines separated by brown square dots; lower left and right quadrants consist of varying alternated brown and tan diamond patterns. 

Primary Object Classification
Textile

Primary Object Type
fiber art

Collection Area
African

Rights
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit http://umma.umich.edu/request-image for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form. Keywords
embroidery (visual works)
geometric motifs
geometric patterns
prestige
textile art (visual works)
textile components

& Author Notes

All Rights Reserved