HANDMADE MOLA; CUNA INDIANS, SAN BLAS ISLANDS PANAMA. REVERSE APPLIQUÉ. RARE.

Description

THIS 21 X 16 INCH HANDMADE REVERSE APPLIQUÉ MOLA WAS A GIFT, GIVEN BY RESIDENTS OF THE SAN BLAS ISLANDS OFF THE CARIBBEAN COAST OF PANAMA, AFTER A MEDICAL ASSISTANCE VISIT DUIRNG 1972.  IT IS ONE THAT WAS MADE FOR PERSONAL USE, RATHER THAN THE TOURIST TRADE, SO IT IS PROBABLY SIGNIFICANTLY OLDER THAN 50 YEARS.  IT FEATURES A SHIP'S ANCHOR AND CHAIN, SURROUNDED BY WHAT MIGHT BE WAVES.  FOUR LAYERS OF DIFFERENT-COLORED CLOTH HAVE BEEN CUT AND STITCHED BY HAND TO MAKE THIS UNUSUAL BIT OF ETHNOGRAPHIC ART.  FROM A SMOKE-FREE HOME.