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Kuna

Mola: Soldier Riding on the Back of a Turtle

1939-1969

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Kuna

Mola: Soldier Riding on the Back of a Turtle

1939-1969

Physical Qualities Cotton, 16 x 19 1/2 in. (40.6 x 49.5 cm.)
Credit Line Gift of Nancy and Robert Swindell, Baltimore
Object Number 2013.145
Panamanian mola depicting a soldier riding on the back of a turtle (tortoise). Soldier is wearing helmet and carries equipment on his back which appears to be similar to WWII style radio. He is holding a very long weapon (lance, gun?) in front of him. Red cotton ground with reverse appliqué of solid color fabric. Black, orange, green, yellow, lime, blue, purple, pink fabrics. At the bottom of the panel is a one-inch wide dark brown strip of fabric covering the edge. Panel was used as either the front or back of a woman's blouse.
The Baltimore Museum of Art by gift, 2013; Nancy Swindell, Baltimore
Herta Puls. Textiles of the Kuna Indians of Panama.

The Art of Cutwork and Applique: Historic, Modern and Kuna Indian.

Charlotte Patera. Mola Making.

Michael Perrin. Magnificent Molas.

Ann Parker and Avon Neal. Molas: Folk Art of the Cuna Indians.

Enrique Chaves and Linnea Angermuller. About Molas.

Rhoda Auld. Molas.

Frederick Shaffer. Mola Designs. (New York: Dover Publications, 1982)

Capt. Kit S. Kapp. Mola Art from the San Blas Islands. (1972)

Culture

Kuna

2000–2000

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