Luxury Cloth: Cushion Cover

17th–18th century, inventoried 1737

Not on view

Returned to lender

This work of art was on loan to the museum and has since been returned to its lender.

Raffia cloth was woven from the leaf fibers of the fan palm (nteva, or Hyphaene guineensis) or the wine palm (ntombi, or Raffia vinifera). The material of the nteva was preferred for the best cloths, since the “threads” were considered finer and stronger than those of the ntombi. While women made household objects such as mats, baskets, and pots, the cloth and the clothing industry was in the hands of men, who passed on their knowledge to junior family members.

Artwork Details

Overview

Provenance

Exhibition History

References

Title: Luxury Cloth: Cushion Cover
Date: 17th–18th century, inventoried 1737
Geography: Democratic Republic of the Congo; Republic of the Congo; Angola
Culture: Kongo peoples; Kongo Kingdom
Medium: Raffia
Dimensions: 21 5/8 in. (55 cm) x 21 5/8 in. (55 cm)
Classification: Textiles-Woven
Credit Line: Nationalmuseet, Copenhagen
Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing