Lot 118B
Central America, Panama, San Blas Islands, Kuna/Cuna, ca. 1950 CE. A large and vibrant example of this folk art form created by the Kuna Native American women artisans and from the world's finest collection of molas. Large, multi-layered textile in shades of pink and black with red and yellow stitching, trimmed on top with zigzagged white, kelly green, and golden yellow ric-rac sewn on red fabric. This example features a grid of twelve coatimundis (three columns of four of these adorable critters), each positioned horizontally, and a group of three more crawling up the righthand side of the composition. Panama's local jungle is animated with delightful wildlife, including coatimundis. These racoon-like creatures are found throughout Central America, and are familiar sights to the Cuna people who visit the mainland daily for supplies of food and water. A gorgeous and unusual composition! Size: 24" x 17"
We are honored to present a selection of molas from the important Kit Kapp collection. According to Tom Hannaher in his text from a debut exhibition of Kuna Molas from the Kit Kapp collection, "Between 1963 and 1971, Kitt Kapp and his wife Valerie conducted over 35 expeditions of the San Blas Islands, as well as remote Kuna villages in Colombia and along the Bayano River in the Darien Peninsula of Panama. Kit's book, Mola Art of the San Blas Islands, was one of the first publications to treat molas as an art form." (Molas from the Collection of Kit Kapp," by Tom Hannaher, 2008)
The folk craft of creating molas began about 125 years ago when the Kunas moved from the mainland to the islands. In their new environment, cooler nights necessitated warmer clothing. At first, women created blouses adorned with simple applique borders, but as time went on, they increased the scale of the decorative areas until the entire front and back panels were comprised of multi-layered, quilted textile designs. This distinctive art form has evolved into a tradition of exceptionally fine needlework and meaningful symbolism.
Provenance: Ex-Kit Kapp collection formed in the very early 1970's. Mr. Kapp acquired the world's largest and best documented collection of Molas, with numerous examples being published.
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.
#110161
- Condition: Intact with some minor fraying at edges, overall excellent.
Accepted Forms of Payment:
American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Paypal, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer
Shipping
Auction House will ship, at Buyer's expense
Artemis Fine Arts
You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 22% and any applicable taxes and shipping.
View full terms and conditions
| From: | To: | Increments: |
|---|---|---|
| $0 | $299 | $25 |
| $300 | $999 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $1,999 | $100 |
| $2,000 | $4,999 | $250 |
| $5,000 | $9,999 | $500 |
| $10,000 | $19,999 | $1,000 |
| $20,000 | $49,999 | $2,000 |
| $50,000 | $99,999 | $5,000 |
| $100,000 | $199,999 | $10,000 |
| $200,000 + | $25,000 |