Lot 84H
Panama, San Blas Islands, Kuna/Cuna, ca. 1950 CE. A finely crafted example of this folk art form created by the Kuna/Cuna women artisans of Panama, rare for its unusual, dramatic, and somewhat humorous scene, depicting a fisherman in his boat catching an enormous fish with a long spiraled, light ray projecting from its head. The relatively tiny fisherman floats above this giant bioluminescent fish, reeling him in (notice the hook landing just before the fishy's eyes) - a seemingly impossible task given the size difference between the man and his catch. In addition to this entertaining iconography, the technique is exemplary, created from many layers of colorful fabrics in hues of blue, green, pink, orange, red, black, and white with an impressive amount of embroidery highlighting the fins, face, fishing line, fisherman's cap and clothing, as well as the fish's mouth and extended light ray. One of my alltime favorites - attached to a custom wooden mount that is wrapped in finely woven Guatemalan fabric, ready for display! Size: 17" L x 22" W (43.2 cm x 55.9 cm)
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-private Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA collection
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#127040
- Condition: Expected minor fraying to edges and fading commensurate with age. Otherwise excellent.
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