Mat / Artist Unknown, African, Kuba Peoples Democratic Republic of the Congo
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About this Item
Record Details
- Accession Number
- 1985/1.165
- Title
- Mat
- Artist Nationality
- Congolese
- Medium and Support
- Raffia fiber
- Object Creation Date
- circa 1970
- Object Creation Place
- Africa (continent)
- Congo Republic (nation)
- Creation Place 1
- Africa (continent)
- Creation Place 2
- Congo Republic (nation)
- Dimensions
- 120.5 cm x 186.2 cm (47 7/16 in. x 73 5/16 in.)
- Century
- 20th century
- Primary Object Classification
- Textile
- Primary Object Type
- fiber art
- Physical Description
- Flat raffia mat with woven geometric, diamond-lke pattern of interlocking lines in green, natural and purple.
- Subject Matter
- The Kuba are renowned for their elaborate, geomtrical surface designs. One of the most impressive expressions of this aesthetic is cloth made from raffia fiber. In the 19th century, decorated raffia cloth was a marker of prestige, used as currency, to pay tribute, settle legal disputes, and in public displays such as the funerals of high-ranking titleholders—a practice that continues today. Produced also for the international market, Kuba cloth—and imitations of its designs—can be found in shops and private collections all over the world. This type of mat was used for sitting, sleeping or as a burial cloth. It was also used as a form of moveable architecture to define spaces for special events such as royal visits. The purple ink was probably derived using ink from discarded ditto machines.
- Secondary Keywords
- associated concepts
- coverings and hangings
- coverings and hangings by location or context
- coverings and hangings by specific type
- coverings and hangings for surface elements
- descriptors
- design elements
- floor coverings
- furnishings
- furnishings by form or function
- motifs
- object genres
- object genres by material
- objects we use
- people and culture
- social science concepts
- social status
- sociological concepts
- Rights
- If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit https://umma.umich.edu/about/services/request-image/ for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.
Technical Details
- Collection
- University of Michigan Museum of Art
- Image Size
- 1439 x 933
- File Size
- 314 KB
- Record
- 1985/1.165
- Link to this Item
-
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/musart/x-1985-sl-1.165/1985_1.165.jpg
Rights and Permissions
Related Links
Portfolios
IIIF
- Manifest
-
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/i/image/api/manifest/musart:1985-SL-1.165:1985_1.165.JPG
Cite this Item
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- Full citation
-
"Mat; Artist Unknown, African, Kuba Peoples Democratic Republic of the Congo." In the digital collection University of Michigan Museum of Art. https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/musart/x-1985-sl-1.165/1985_1.165.jpg. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed April 16, 2024.
