Loincloth in painted barkcloth (Barkcloth) - Tapa - Mbuti - DR Congo (No reserve price)
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Barkcloth panel painted in the Mbuti hunter‑gatherer tradition from the Ituri Forest in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 94 × 70 cm, 200 g, dating to the late 20th century, from a private collection, original.
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Description from the seller
Barkcloth beaten and painted (barkcloth / tapa) from the tradition of the Mbuti hunter-gatherers of the Ituri Forest. Handcrafted by pounding the inner bark of wild fig and decorated by Mbuti women with natural plant and mineral pigments.
The work presents a complex abstract composition of grids and rhythmic lines, a symbolic fusion of vegetation, light, and the sounds of the rainforest.
• Motif symbolism:
◦ Grids and crossed lines: They represent the interweaving of vegetation, forest lianas, or the weave of mats and hunting traps.
◦ Geometric/curved elements: They symbolize sunlight filtering through the canopy of trees, animal tracks, or the sounds/vibrations of the forest during hunting.
Origin: Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire), Ituri Forest
Culture: Mbuti people (Pygmy tribe)
Material: Beaten wild fig bark, natural pigments
Late 20th century (ca. 1980–1990)
Dimensions: 94 × 70 cm
Weight: 200 g
Shipped via courier with insured item
Barkcloth beaten and painted (barkcloth / tapa) from the tradition of the Mbuti hunter-gatherers of the Ituri Forest. Handcrafted by pounding the inner bark of wild fig and decorated by Mbuti women with natural plant and mineral pigments.
The work presents a complex abstract composition of grids and rhythmic lines, a symbolic fusion of vegetation, light, and the sounds of the rainforest.
• Motif symbolism:
◦ Grids and crossed lines: They represent the interweaving of vegetation, forest lianas, or the weave of mats and hunting traps.
◦ Geometric/curved elements: They symbolize sunlight filtering through the canopy of trees, animal tracks, or the sounds/vibrations of the forest during hunting.
Origin: Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire), Ituri Forest
Culture: Mbuti people (Pygmy tribe)
Material: Beaten wild fig bark, natural pigments
Late 20th century (ca. 1980–1990)
Dimensions: 94 × 70 cm
Weight: 200 g
Shipped via courier with insured item
Details
Indigenous object name
Tapa
Number of objects
1
Ethnic group/ culture
Mbuti
Country of Origin
DR Congo
Period
Late 20th century
Material
cortex
Sold with stand
No
Condition
Good condition
Title of artwork
Loincloth in painted barkcloth (Barkcloth)
Height
94 cm
Width
70 cm
Weight
200 g
Provenance
Private collection
Authenticity
Original/official
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