A finely painted bark cloth by the Mbuti people of the Democratic Republic of Congo, dating to the mid 20th century. The cloth is decorated with a dense, rhythmic field of linear motifs, geometric divisions, and abstract forms painted in dark pigment across the warm natural bark fiber ground.
Mbuti bark cloths are closely associated with the Ituri Forest, where the visual language of these works is often understood in relation to the surrounding environment. Rather than being read as fixed symbols in a literal sense, the painted marks can be approached more rhythmically, almost like music, with repeated lines, pauses, movements, and variations flowing across the surface.
This example has a particularly strong allover composition, with layered passages of parallel lines and intersecting forms that give the surface a sense of energy and depth. Professionally mounted on a dark fabric support, it presents beautifully as a finished work of textile art.
Size: Bark cloth:2' x 2'5" [61cm x 74cm], Mounted: 2'10" x 3'1" [86cm x 94cm]
Age: 1st half of the 20th Century
Origin: NE Congo
Type of Textile: Mbuti Bark Cloth
Material: Mulberry bark
Condition: Very good
TX676
