The distinctive sculptural form of this large fibre basket - woven with the same double-layer igihisi structure used to create Tutsi wall screens - is an expression of the Tutsi aesthetic. There is a beautiful sense of movement to the two-toned appearance of the basket, in which the fibre strands have been woven in opposite directions, creating an interlocking configuration of triangular patterns. As a prestige item, the basket would have been traditionally displayed in a Tutsi household as a symbol of wealth.
Estimated Period: 1930s' -1940's
Ex Private Collection, Belgium
H: 39 cm
W: 23 cm
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