Kuba Shoowa Prestige Panel

Large open diamonds in a black lattice, lit by pink and cream in the centers.

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 pile on a Shoowa cloth is cut raffia, sheared to an even nap that collectors often call Kasai velvet. Wide black diagonal lines cross to form big, open diamonds with cream and pink toned centers and fine inner outlines. The scale is large and the lattice is regular. A narrow tan border frames the cloth. It measures 19.5 inches wide and 20.5 long.

Big diamonds with a lot of floor space, and no clutter.