Mbuti Barkcloth Panel, Democratic Republic of Congo

Zigzags run vertical, as if the cloth had been pleated.

Mbuti artists of the Ituri Forest, Democratic Republic of Congo, Central Africa, painted this barkcloth panel with pigment in the 20th century. Painted bark sheets of the Ituri region are commonly associated with wraps, and the patterns are made freehand. Narrow vertical lines run the length of this panel, and zigzag chevrons climb between them in wavering columns. The ink is a deep gray-black on a pale ivory ground, with a fine mottling to the surface and a slightly torn border.

About 32 by 16 inches. Gentle from a distance, intricate when you step closer.