Lot No. 80


Cameroon Grassfields, Bamileke: Large, ceremonial wall hanging made of locally woven, indigo-coloured ‘Ndop’ fabric.


A very large, ceremonial wall hanging that was used during feasts and ceremonies in the palaces and houses of the many ‘kings’ and ‘princes’ of the Bamileke people in the Grasslands (Northwest Cameroon). These textiles are mostly hung on a wall behind the royal throne on festive occasions. An interesting feature of these fabrics is their dyeing technique, also called ‘reserve technique’: First, the men weave narrow stripes from local white cotton. Subsequently, the women weave these stripes together into larger, white fabric pieces. Then the lines and patterns that are supposed to remain white after the dying procedure, are inserted by the women by means of plant fibres (from raffia palms) and thus ‘bound off’. The entire fabric piece is then dipped in deep blue, vegetable indigo colour. In the spots were the inserted fibres ‘bind off’ (that is ‘reserve’) the textile, the colour cannot penetrate the fabric. After drying, the inserted plant fibres are cut open and removed. The result are the typical, white geometric lines, symbols and patterns of the blue-coloured ‘Ndop fabrics’ of Cameroon. Formerly, shirts and skirts were also produced using this blue and white ‘Ndop’. The present very large and old, ceremonial wall hanging of the Bamileke people displays many typical symbols and patterns (rectangles, waves, rhombs, spikes, crosses etc.), and is trimmed in the upper and lower sections with a beautiful contrasting border of red and black import fabric. Minor age damage (a hole lined and sewn). First half of the 20th century. Dimensions: c. 370 cm x 242 cm. (ME)

Provenance: Gallery Henseler, Munich; Austrian private collection.

Literature: 'african textiles' by John Gillow, p. 186 to p. 189, with numerous ill.

Specialist: Erwin Melchardt Erwin Melchardt
+43-1-515 60-465

erwin.melchardt@dorotheum.at

24.03.2014 - 16:00

Estimate:
EUR 4,000.- to EUR 5,000.-

Cameroon Grassfields, Bamileke: Large, ceremonial wall hanging made of locally woven, indigo-coloured ‘Ndop’ fabric.


A very large, ceremonial wall hanging that was used during feasts and ceremonies in the palaces and houses of the many ‘kings’ and ‘princes’ of the Bamileke people in the Grasslands (Northwest Cameroon). These textiles are mostly hung on a wall behind the royal throne on festive occasions. An interesting feature of these fabrics is their dyeing technique, also called ‘reserve technique’: First, the men weave narrow stripes from local white cotton. Subsequently, the women weave these stripes together into larger, white fabric pieces. Then the lines and patterns that are supposed to remain white after the dying procedure, are inserted by the women by means of plant fibres (from raffia palms) and thus ‘bound off’. The entire fabric piece is then dipped in deep blue, vegetable indigo colour. In the spots were the inserted fibres ‘bind off’ (that is ‘reserve’) the textile, the colour cannot penetrate the fabric. After drying, the inserted plant fibres are cut open and removed. The result are the typical, white geometric lines, symbols and patterns of the blue-coloured ‘Ndop fabrics’ of Cameroon. Formerly, shirts and skirts were also produced using this blue and white ‘Ndop’. The present very large and old, ceremonial wall hanging of the Bamileke people displays many typical symbols and patterns (rectangles, waves, rhombs, spikes, crosses etc.), and is trimmed in the upper and lower sections with a beautiful contrasting border of red and black import fabric. Minor age damage (a hole lined and sewn). First half of the 20th century. Dimensions: c. 370 cm x 242 cm. (ME)

Provenance: Gallery Henseler, Munich; Austrian private collection.

Literature: 'african textiles' by John Gillow, p. 186 to p. 189, with numerous ill.

Specialist: Erwin Melchardt Erwin Melchardt
+43-1-515 60-465

erwin.melchardt@dorotheum.at


Buyers hotline Mon.-Fri.: 10.00am - 5.00pm
kundendienst@dorotheum.at

+43 1 515 60 200
Auction: Tribal Art
Auction type: Saleroom auction
Date: 24.03.2014 - 16:00
Location: Vienna | Palais Dorotheum
Exhibition: 18.03. - 24.03.2014