The Parker & Neal Mola Collection - Part 1
Lot 9:
Description
Panama (Guna Yala), circa 1970s
15.5 × 18 inches
An exceptional mola panel worked in three layers of reverse appliqué, appliqué, and embroidery featuring a complex syncretic composition that interweaves Guna cosmological imagery with Christian narrative elements. The central composition depicts a stylized figure with serpent surrounded by lush botanical forms including prominent fruit motifs—likely representing the overlapping of the biblical Temptation of Eve narrative with indigenous spiritual symbolism.
The serpent figure occupies the central field, its elongated form suggesting the transformative or liminal nature of spiritual beings in Guna cosmology. The surrounding botanical elements—particularly the circular fruit forms worked with careful embroidered detailing—evoke both the forbidden fruit of Eden and the life-giving plants central to Guna creation stories. Cross symbols appear among the scattered triangular elements, further indicating Christian influence integrated into traditional iconographic vocabulary.
This syncretism reflects centuries of missionary presence in Guna Yala, where Catholic and Protestant imagery became absorbed into indigenous spiritual frameworks without displacing traditional beliefs. The maker demonstrates sophisticated theological synthesis, presenting biblical narrative through distinctly Guna aesthetic and conceptual structures—the densely interwoven composition itself suggesting the interconnection of visible and spiritual realms.
The decorative yoke band features alternating orange and blue wave forms against black, framed by lime green borders—possibly representing the boundary between earthly and spiritual domains.
Worked on vibrant magenta/burgundy cotton ground with layers in orange, yellow, green, blue, pink, purple, and black. Exceptionally fine hand-stitching throughout with very tight stitch density. Dense embroidered fill patterns with extensive dot work creating texture throughout the central figures. Fully saturated composition with sophisticated cutwork featuring complex curves, interlocking forms, and nested shapes.
Single panel on burgundy cotton ground with orange backing visible. Decorative yoke with geometric pattern. This piece exemplifies the sophisticated religious and cultural synthesis in Guna textile art, demonstrating how Christian missionary narratives were reinterpreted through indigenous cosmological frameworks.
Provenance: From the Parker & Neal Collection
Condition report:
Minor wear consistent with age. In house Flat Rate US Shipping of $15 for 1 -10 molas, $5 each additional 10 molas. Insurance is additional and required.
Share this lot:
