African Handwoven Wool Rug South Africa 35x51inch MATTER COLLECTION

Three Girls Coming Home, Lebowa, South Africa, 1981

Masana tapestries are handwoven narrative textiles produced in Lebowa, South Africa, during the 1970s and 1980s through the Masana Weaving Project. Woven from hand-spun Karakul wool, these textiles combine practical craftsmanship with expressive storytelling, depicting scenes from everyday village life, cultural traditions, and community experiences. Each tapestry bears a unique title that reflects the weaver's chosen subject, preserving personal stories and local history through woven imagery.

Handwoven in 1979 in Lebowa, South Africa, this pictorial tapestry, titled "Parents Are Coming to Ask for Some Money," portrays a familiar moment of family interaction centered on responsibility, support, and mutual care. Through its expressive figures and narrative composition, the tapestry reflects the importance of extended family relationships and the role of generosity and shared resources within community life. By capturing an everyday experience, the weaver transforms a simple domestic event into a meaningful visual narrative.

Created as both a functional textile and a work of folk art, the tapestry showcases the weaver's skill as both an artisan and storyteller. The carefully woven imagery preserves a scene of social and cultural significance, offering insight into the values, relationships, and lived experiences that inspire South African narrative textiles. Rich in character and handcrafted detail, the composition reflects the enduring tradition of storytelling through woven art.

This tapestry stands as a distinctive example of the storytelling woven arts of the Lebowa region, combining artistic expression, cultural heritage, and skilled craftsmanship in a unique handwoven textile.

We do not recommend laundering textiles and do not accept returns of textiles that have been laundered in any manner. Even dry cleaning is too much for some of these antique textiles. For some of them, a very gentle HAND wash (NEVER MACHINE, on any setting) in cool water with a very gentle detergent works, but even then, dyes may not be colorfast, and fabric may be less strong than it appears.