Kuba Shoowa Prestige Panel

Triangles, nested squares and half-diamonds jostling in a loose diagonal grid.

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. Triangles in black and cream, stepped squares and diamond fragments are arranged diagonally on a pale tan ground. The edge is hemmed with slight ripples, and the rows slip out of alignment here and there, giving it an informal, scattered air. The panel is 20.5 inches wide by 26.25 long.

A jigsaw that gave up on the box lid.