These ‘mud cloths’, locally known as ‘Bogolanfini’, originate from the area north of Bamako, the capital of Mali. They consist of white, narrow cotton strips that are woven by the men. The women then stitch the strips to rectangular cloths and dye them using a special technique to create ‘Bogolanfini textiles’. Firstly the white cloths are steeped in plant water where they become yellow. The outline of a pattern is then drawn on. The areas between the pattern are coated with a heavy, iron-rich mud. The mud is then washed off and the cloth is bleached with plant extract and soda – thus emerges the contrasting black and white pattern. These ‘mud cloths’ also have some spiritual significance. Originally, they were used to make shirts for the hunters or skirts for pregnant or menstruating women – for all people who were at risk of losing blood. This is because the Bambara believed that, through this blood, ‘evil spirits’ could penetrate the bodies of the affected people. Only the ‘Bogolanfini cloths’ – with their black and white patterns – protected the people from these invasive ‘evil spirits’. The present ‘mud cloth’ is a perfect example of these ‘magical’ Bambara textiles. It shows no damage and is framed. Dimensions: 102 cm x 142 cm. First half to mid-20th century. (ME)

Provenance:
Austria private collection.

Lit.:
'African Textiles' by John Gillow, ill. p. 86, 87.