Kuba woman decorating woven cloth, Mushenge, Congo (Democratic Republic)
Object Details
- Local Numbers
- H 3 KBA 15.4 EE 70
- General
- Title is provided by EEPA staff based on photographer's notes.
- Local Note
- A31
- Frame value is 16.
- Slide No. H 3 KBA 15.4 EE 70
- Photographer
- Elisofon, Eliot
- Collection Photographer
- Elisofon, Eliot
- Place
- Africa
- Congo (Democratic Republic)
- Occupation
- Artists
- Topic
- Vernacular architecture
- Women
- Textile crafts
- Photographer
- Elisofon, Eliot
- Culture
- Kuba (African people)
- See more items in
- Eliot Elisofon Field collection
- Eliot Elisofon Field collection / Congo (Democratic Republic) / EECL / Mushenge, Congo (Democratic Republic)
- Extent
- 1 Slides (photographs) (col.)
- Date
- 1970
- Archival Repository
- Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, National Museum of African Art
- Identifier
- EEPA.1973-001, Item EEPA EECL 7217
- Type
- Archival materials
- Slides (photographs)
- Color slides
- Collection Citation
- Eliot Elisofon Field Collection, EEPA 1973-001, Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution
- Collection Rights
- Permission to reproduce images from the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives must be obtained in advance. The collection is subject to all copyright laws.
- Genre/Form
- Color slides
- Scope and Contents
- The photograph depicts Kuba woman at work on all-plush panel typical of contemporary work. She is brushing the raffia pile with the edge of the knife, which they also use to cut the pile stitches. "After the dyeing, the cloth is ready to be embroidered. Most Kuba embroidery combines on one cloth two types of decoration: stem-stitching and cut-pile or plush stitching. The equipment is simple: a needle and, for cut-pile or plush-work, a knife. The embroideress needs an enormous amount of steadiness and patience. Because of the time required, prosperous and royal men who have several wives or concubines gain an advantage in the production of decorated garments. Fine plush pieces are worked for months ad even years. the work is done intermittently, usually in the afternoons, after returning from working in the fields." [Adams Monni, 1978: Kuba Embroidered Cloth. African Arts, 12 (1), November 1978, pp.24-39]. This photograph was taken when Eliot Elisofon traveled to Africa from March 17, 1970 to July 17, 1970.
- Collection Restrictions
- Use of original records requires an appointment. Contact Archives staff for more details.
- Record ID
- ebl-1536955032661-1536955038995-3
- Metadata Usage
- CC0
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