Mbuti Barkcloth Panel, Democratic Republic of Congo

Wavering lines run the length of the cloth, steady as rivers on a map.

Mbuti artists of the Ituri Forest, Democratic Republic of Congo, Central Africa, painted this barkcloth panel with pigment in the 20th century. Barkcloth in the Ituri region is commonly beaten from tree bark and decorated by hand, and was traditionally worn as a wrap. Soft gray-green ink forms vertical wavy lines down this ivory panel, with a few small star-like marks sprinkled between them. The line weight varies, and the lower edge has a pale, weathered flare.

About 35 by 15 inches. Rhythmic, restful, and a little uneven in the right way.