Painted barkcloth
Lese people, Ituri Forest, D.R. Congo
Bark of the fig tree, gardenia juice
29 inches (73.7 cm) high by 15 inches (38 cm) wide
20th century
Ex Tom Phillips collection, UK

A bark cloth from the Lese people in the Ituri forest of northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. These were made from the inner bark of trees, pounded and prepared by men, then painted by women with twigs, fingers or twine. They were folded in half over a sash or belt and worn as ritual dress for celebrations and rites of passage. Cf. Phillips, Tom. The Art of a Continent. Prestel, 1999
#3860 

$2000