Framed African Textile with Black Frame

Vintage Kuba Textile from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, formerly Zaire, are uniquely different for the complexity of design. this variation is rectangular and exemplifies the artistic geometric variation.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, the Kuba Kings were “ivory trade” rich, fantastically wealthy. They invested in bespoke ceremonial wardrobes to announce their wealth to the world and would compete to see whose patterns were the wowie-est of them all! The men were typically responsible for the raffia palm cultivation and the weaving of the raffia cloth. Women then took the cloth and applied the flat linear designs to the surface. The designs became bolder and more intricate. The first major exhibition in Europe was in Brussels in the late 1800s.

At this point it’s impossible to accurately date the cloths. This one can be hung vertically or horizontally.