Pair Of Lit Kerosene Lanterns On Black Mola

Pair Of Lit Kerosene Lanterns On Black Mola is a hand sewn textile by a Guna (Kuna) artisan in Panama. Two kerosene lanterns glow side by side, each with an X shaped vent at its middle and a flame rising from the base, the kind of lamp that lit island homes after dark, and small lantern shapes float around the edges like sparks. There is a cozy, end of the evening warmth to it. At 17.5 inches wide and 13.5 inches high, this is one of the larger panels and reads well from across a room. Hang it in your den, a cabin or a covered porch.

Molas are built by stacking several layers of colored cotton, then cutting down through one layer at a time so the colors underneath show through, and turning every raw edge under and stitching it closed by hand. The technique is called reverse appliqué, and a good panel is judged by how fine the stitches are and how many layers deep the cutting goes. This one came from Guna Yala, the San Blas islands off Panama's Caribbean coast, where the designs draw on the birds, fish, plants and geometric patterns of the islands and rainforest. It is ready to frame, mount, or sew into a pillow or a quilt panel, and no two are ever alike.

Founded in 1991, TraderBrock celebrates the handcraft of Latin America's indigenous peoples. Every piece comes from Guna, Wounaan and Emberá artisans we know by name, and all profits are reinvested in their communities for education, tools and the teaching of ancestral techniques. Buying from TraderBrock helps keep their culture and their traditions alive.

Width: 17.5"
Height: 13.5"
SKU: 22040229T