Kuba Shoowa Prestige Panel

Orange and cream lines trace concentric diamonds across a deep chocolate ground.

This Shoowa prestige panel is Kuba, from Central Africa, and dates to the 20th century. It is woven raffia. Kuba cloth begins with the fibers of the raffia palm, and the embroidery that covers it is slow, patient work. Thin orange and cream lines form nested diamonds on a dark chocolate ground, mirrored in a clean symmetrical layout. The scale is large and open. A darker brown border runs around the edges, and the cloth is slightly wavy. It measures 21.5 inches wide and 23.5 long.

Bold diamonds drawn with the lightest hand, in sunset colors.