Vintage Kuba Cloth Square, Africa, Republic of Congo H: 18″
Original price was: $95.00.$75.00Current price is: $75.00.
H: 18″ W: 18″ | FREE SHIPPING!
Woven from strands of raffia palm leaves, this traditional vintage bordered square Kuba cloth from the Democratic Republic of the Congo was made using vegetable dye and is embellished with sophisticated embroidered, applique and patchwork linear designs.
Description
Woven from strands of raffia palm leaves, this vintage Kuba cloth reflects the traditional fabric traditions of the Kuba people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is a typically bordered square with rough textural surfaces interspersed with repeated geometric patterns and embellished with sophisticated embroidered, applique and patchwork linear designs of interlocking meandering patterns of vegetable dye shades of dark brown and ivory in a natural flat-weave pattern framed with tufted-cut pile raffia and applique. Creating Kuba cloth is time and labor-intensive; a simple piece like this can take several days in a process shared by men and women. Men collect raffia; strip leaves and color them with vegetable dyes in ivory, brown, clay red and indigo blue shades ; rub strands to soften them and weave fibers into strips with a Kuba heddle loom. Women then create unique patterns by stitching the geometric raffia pieces onto a plain raffia background and finish and embellish them with other techniques like embroidery, appliqué and patchwork. The raffia fiber is drawn through with a needle and snipped to create a dense plush pile with unique design elements juxtaposing differing geometric forms, asymmetrical patterns, textural elements to form an earthy, rough, three-dimensional surface texture. Patterns may reflect the artisan’s age, social or marital status and tribe. Pieces are used in many design aspects fostering a growing market for vintage pieces. Claims House Beautiful Magazine, “If you’re seeking an eye-catching, handsome print to bring richness to a certain corner of your home, you’ll likely find a Kuba cloth style to incorporate beautifully into your decor. ” See Vintage Kuba Cloth Rectangular Textile and Yoruba Cowry Shell Crown for complementary accessories. This piece can be framed as a unique piece of wall art.
Sources:
Contemporary “African art, Kuba Cloth”,
Cultural Elements Blog, “What is Kuba Cloth?”
Gabriel Davenport, The Real History of Kuba Cloth”, House Beautiful, October, 2020