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Panel

A work made of raffia, plain weave; embroidered in stem stitches and running stitches cut to form pile.

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  • A work made of raffia, plain weave; embroidered in stem stitches and running stitches cut to form pile.

Date:

Possibly mid–20th century

Artist:

Mushenge
Democratic Republic of the Congo

About this artwork

According to oral tradition, the 17th-century Kuba king Shyaam introduced plush-textured raffia textiles to his kingdom. Raffia panels have long been considered valuable in Central Africa. Plain panels were used as currency as early as the 16th century. Until the early 20th century, such panels were exchanged in a variety of contexts—for instance, as royal tribute or part of a marriage contract. Today they continue to be collected by families, used in funeral displays, and buried with important adults.

Across the Kuba kingdon in Central Africa, raffia palm fiber has long been used to weave textiles for clothing, display, and exchange. Produced on a single heddle loom, these small elaborate panels were woven with lengths of raffia peeled from the palm frond and then embellished with geometric patterns. Into the early 20th century, such highly valued panels were frequently displayed at court ceremonies and funerals. Often referred to as “prestige panels,” they also functioned as indicator of social status. These panels were also collected by European artists and designers in the early 20th century, with important consequences to the development of European abstraction.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Textiles

Culture

Mushenge

Title

Panel

Place

Democratic Republic of the Congo (Object made in)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

Made 1925–1975

Medium

Raffia, plain weave; embroidered in stem stitches and running stitches cut to form pile

Dimensions

68.8 × 55.8 cm (27 × 22 in.)

Credit Line

Purchased with funds provided by Mrs. John H. Johnson

Reference Number

1984.1034

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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