Mud cloth

Description

While originally this cloth was decorated for use in garments of a secret Senufo society, at a later stage, through pressure of some European merchants desirous of supplying the Western markets with objects of African craft, they became embellished with an endless variety of designs and compositions of great aesthetic appeal, being used mostly then as wall hangings. An example of traditional decorations is exhibited here, where the design develops along the strips of textile. The Senufo craftsman paints the cloth while it is stretched on the floor, using a knife as a brush and a type of ink made from mud and the juices of certain leaves, which needs to be exposed to the sun to become fast.