Kuba Shoowa Prestige Panel

Black and tan tangles run the length of the panel like a very orderly vine.

This Shoowa prestige panel is Kuba, from Central Africa, and dates to the 20th century. It is piled raffia. Kuba textiles, generally made by men weaving the raffia and women adding the cut pile, are known for dense geometric designs that rarely repeat exactly. Interlaced bands, diamonds and hooked forms fill the surface in black and golden tan. Thin seams divide the panel into sections, and a pink-tan border edges the whole piece. The pile has a soft, plush surface. It is 17.25 inches wide and 51.5 long.

Geometry with a streak of mischief.