Congolese Textile
Tetela (?)
DR Congo
19th century
68 x 41 inches (172 x 104 cm)
Provenance: Ambre-Congo gallery, Brussels
$5,000
A very rare late 19th century woven raffia textile composed of four separately woven panels, each different from the other in layout.
Said to have been brought to Belgium in 1890 by an early colonial era traveler and to have stayed in the family until recently.
Possibly used as a "woven currency" but could also have been used as a wrapper.
