Bidspirit auction | Guna Mola Blouse Stylized Faces

Guna Mola Blouse Stylized Faces - Panama (Guna Yala), circa 1970s 17 x 14 inches A traditional Guna woman's blouse with two mola panels (front and back), worked in 3 layers of hand reverse applique, applique, and hand embroidery with rickrack accents. The blouse has a red-and-white printed cotton yoke and puffed sleeves, a turquoise neck binding, and a yellow ruffled hem. The front panel features a large central figure with two stacked, whiskered faces with goggle-like eyes and zigzag teeth, surrounded by leaf forms, two standing figures, two small heads, and a claw-armed creature in each lower corner. The ground is filled with narrow multicolored slits. On the back panel, two mirrored figures with pointed ears, grinning whiskered faces, and scrolling limbs flank the center, each enclosing a smaller claw-topped face beneath a cross motif. Small heads at the top and bottom center complete a strongly symmetrical composition.