Kuba Raffia Prestige Panel

Visually dynamic and highly textured, this raffia panel expresses the irregular, geometric patterns typical of Kuba textile art. Created by an artisan of the Kuba people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, this form of woven textile is made by embroidering a panel of cloth with dyed raffia thread, which is then trimmed short to create a plush "velvet" texture. Known as a prestige panel, the complex patterning exhibited the artisan's skill and would have been displayed as a mark of the owner's social prestige. A remarkable example of woven raffia textiles, this prestige panel is perfect as a striking wall hanging or table runner.