Mola

Museum number:
3-30179
Permalink:
ark:/21549/hm21030030179
Alternate number:
MVC-0006 (previous number (MVC number, Mossman-Vitale collection))
Accession number:
Acc.4734
Description:
Mola blouse, Blouse, floral printed cotton, white with red and green; yoke, 9cm w. x 47 cm. l., trim at neck in black orange and red cotton, 38.5 cm,self fabric neckband encases gathering cord; connecting trim to mola, saw tooth applique trim in orange and black 1.cm w. with white strip at bottom 2cm w. lower edge trim of mola ; pieced black and yellow , widely pleated in sections from 8 to 14 cm. w x 6.3 cm. h. Sleeves 12 cm x 16 cm. with red rick rack and 1 cm. black stripe as trim. Mola:, 47.5 cm w.x 37.5 h. Back; mirror images; 2 facing long plummaged birds w/ wide tails attached to/riding on backs of 2 tapir -like animals; animals and all background space filled w/ vertical linear reverse applique openings over pieced backing in orange, blue, pink, printed , yellow, magenta, jade green, olive green.; fine stitching and chain embroidery decorate the faces and legs and outlines of animals. Front; virtually same design, but animals have red top layer over orange ; back, yellow, over red base fabric.background.
Donor:
Kathleen Vitale and Paul Vitale
Collection place:
San Blas Islands, Panama
Verbatim coll. place:
Latin America; Panama; San Blas Islands; Cuna
Culture or time period:
Kuna
Collector:
Rachel Gould Mossman
Collection date:
1967
Materials:
Cotton (textile) and Synthetic
Object type:
ethnography
Object class:
Embroidery (visual works) and Molas
Function:
2.1 Daily Garb
Accession date:
June 23, 2006
Context of use:
worn by women; trade item
Department:
Mexico, Central America, and Caribbean area
Images:
Hearst Museum object titled Mola, accession number 3-30179, described as Mola blouse, Blouse, floral printed cotton, white with red and green; yoke, 9cm w. x 47 cm. l., trim at neck in black orange and red cotton, 38.5 cm,self fabric neckband encases gathering cord; connecting trim to mola, saw tooth applique trim in orange and black 1.cm w. with white strip at bottom 2cm w. lower edge trim of mola ; pieced black and yellow , widely pleated in sections from 8 to 14 cm. w x 6.3 cm. h. Sleeves 12 cm x 16 cm. with red rick rack and 1 cm. black stripe as trim. Mola:, 47.5 cm w.x 37.5 h. Back; mirror images; 2 facing long plummaged birds w/ wide tails attached to/riding on backs of 2 tapir -like animals; animals and all background space filled w/ vertical linear reverse applique openings over pieced backing in orange, blue, pink, printed , yellow, magenta, jade green, olive green.; fine stitching and chain embroidery decorate the faces and legs and outlines of animals. Front; virtually same design, but animals have red top layer over orange ; back, yellow, over red base fabric.background.

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