Kuba Shoowa Prestige Panel

Big lozenges in tidy rows, outlined twice, with a few deviations hiding among them.

This Shoowa prestige panel is Kuba, from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Central Africa, and dates to the 20th century. It is piled raffia. The Kuba are known for raffia textiles in which a few simple elements are repeated and varied until the surface seems to move. Generous black and cream lozenges in double outlines repeat in even diagonal rows across a pale ground. A few have dotted or notched centers, breaking the rhythm slightly. The tan border is narrow and the scale is open and generous. It measures 21.75 inches wide and 22.5 long.

Order with a couple of small, deliberate mutterings.