Mola. 46.4 cm wide x 38.8 cm high, including 4.6 cm high band of rectilinear orange and red interlocking design on flower printed fabric background cloth. 4 layer technique on orange base fabric with left border edged in orange (the background fabric folded over to the front) and right border an added blue-green warp-faced strip. Highly intricate horizontal bands of dentation (dientes) or scallops in green, orange, intense cobalt blue, purple, pink, pea green, teal, and yellow under top layer of dark red, over a 3rd layer of black, on a base of orange. Bands extend almost to bound edges, leaving a border of the red layer and several small raised patches of applique to fill the spaces. Top and botton edges are unfinished.
Donor:
Mary C. Stoddard
Collection place:
Panama
Verbatim coll. place:
Purchased in Panama City, Panama
Collector:
Mary C. Stoddard
Collection date:
1975
Materials:
Cotton (textile) and Weft [reassign]
Object type:
ethnography
Object class:
Molas
Function:
4.1 Dwellings and Furnishings
Accession date:
December 17, 1996
Context of use:
This 4 layer mola is a show piece of extraordinary talent. Line after line of dentation flows across the face of the panel proclaiming the maker’s skill with each cusp and point. She also uses color changes to show her virtuosity. The greens advance and recede as do the oranges. She uses the same intense cobalt blue as did the maker of #15, but sparingly. She adds an intricate fret in orange and maroon at the top sewn into the blouse print. This was worn (and later detached from the garment). None of the colors has run. (fide Mary Stoddard)