A Kuba Cut-Pile Embroidery Fabric

Raphia plush fabric Cuba, DR Congo Ohne Sockel / without base Raphia. Provenance: Galerie Walu, Basel. The Kingdom of Cuba is a confederation that ruled autonomously as a political federation from the 17th to the end of the 19th century, until it lost its autonomy under the pressure of Belgian colonial rule. The name Kuba comes from the Bantu language and means "throwing knife". The Kuba tribal complex, which numbers around 250,000 people, includes the Bushoong, Kete, Tetela, Ngeende, Lele, Binji and Shoowa. All of these ethnic groups have a special fondness for geometric shapes and therefore like to decorate many objects, both for everyday use and for rituals, with the finest patterns all over. However, the Kuba became famous above all for their masterful, highly sought-after fabrics. Such fine fabrics, which served as a means of payment in the kingdom, were already mentioned in Portuguese reports from the 16th and 17th centuries. These were fabrics measuring around 50 x 50 cm made from frayed pinnate leaves of the raphia palm. They are woven by men and embroidered by women using the special technique of velour embroidery. The threads are fitted between the warp and weft threads without knotting using a needle and then cut at a height of around two millimeters on both sides. The raffia fibers are dyed with vegetable dyes before embroidering. The coastal population engaged in a lively trade with these woven mats: the Portuguese paid for the fabrics with salt, cowries and pearls and traded them for slaves further south, in Angola. Subsequently, the mats were used locally as a means of exchange due to their value and even today they are indispensable gifts for guests on all occasions, such as weddings, births and anniversaries. The labor invested in the production of the mats represents a forgery-proof value. The hosts sometimes receive a small fortune that they can later sell again as required. If someone needs one or more mats for a celebration (depending on their own wealth), if they do not have any themselves and cannot produce any, they will have to exchange them for money, goods or services. Design, execution as well as supply and demand then result in the individually negotiated "exchange rate". Nowhere else in Africa have textiles been so masterfully crafted, showing such an impressive, distinctive sense of form and pattern. Aesthetics and function thus merge into small works of art whose influence on modern Western art is unmistakable and can be seen in works by Paul Klee, Antoni Tàpies, Keith Haring and others. The artistic works are so fascinating, dreamlike and sensual that anyone who has seen them in the flesh will always remember them. Further reading: Meurant, Georges (1989). Dream Signs. Munich: Verlag Fred Jahn. CHF 50 / 100 Condition: The condition (wear, eventual cracks, tear, other imperfections and the effects of aging etc. if applicable) of this lot is as visible on the multiple photos we have uploaded for your documentation. Please feel free to contact Hammer Auktionen for all questions you might have regarding this lot ([email protected]). Any condition statement given, as a courtesy to a client, is only an opinion and should not be treated as a statement of fact. Hammer Auctions shall have no responsibility for any error or omission. In the rare event that the item did not conform to the lot description in the sale, Hammer Auktionen is here to help. Buyers may return the item for a full refund provided you notify Hammer Auktionen within 5 days of receiving the item. -------------------------------------------- The condition (possible wear, signs of use, cracks, possible other damage and signs of age, etc.) of this lot can be seen in the photos we have uploaded for your documentation. If you have any questions about this item, please do not hesitate to contact Hammer Auctions ([email protected]). The information regarding the condition of the items provided for the convenience of interested parties is an opinion only and should not be treated as a statement of fact. Hammer Auctions accepts no responsibility for any errors or omissions. In the rare event that the item does not match the description in the catalog, Hammer Auctions is here to help. Buyers may return the lot for a full refund provided they notify Hammer Auctions within 5 days of receiving the lot.