Bidspirit auction | Guna Mola Blouse Two Birds

Guna Mola Blouse Two Birds - Panama (Guna Yala), circa 1970s 18 x 18 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 trim. The blouse has a pink, yellow, and green grape-cluster printed cotton yoke and puffed sleeves, a blue and red neck binding, and a multicolor printed hem band. On the front panel, two large birds with long necks and curved beaks face each other across a central staff-like motif, each accompanied by a figure wearing a helmet and a bow tie. A small bird and two cross-shaped motifs are placed along the top, and the ground is filled with dense multicolored slits. The back panel has two facing birds with a central staff motif, paired with helmeted figures with curled tails and raised arms, suggesting monkeys. Two small animals are placed at the upper corners, and the whimsical pairing of figures and birds gives the design a playful, narrative quality.