Tapa Tonga Islands - Lot 137

Tapa Tonga Islands Late 19th century, early 20th century Chinese mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera) reddish-brown vegetable color, extracted from the bark of the Bischofia javancia tree. H. 198 cm - L. 194 cm Provenance : French private collection of a decorator, Paris If Tongan tapa has traditionally endured through time, it's because this tiny kingdom, Christianized but never colonized, was able to escape the upheavals that shook the world. The Tonga Islands, made up of three archipelagos and a myriad of islets, offer fertile soil and an idyllic climate. While the planting of young mulberry bushes is the work of men, it's the women who make the "fabric" and then decorate it. A convivial and joyful activity, important in the lives of the women and for the community. The large, vivid orange-toned engraving has been transferred four times to the back of the fabric, before the motifs are overprinted with a dark brown hue. In the center of the design are concentric circles highlighted in an off-white color, with a surrounding motif in the form of a clan crest, stylistically similar to a schematized crown, a crown of flowers and petals. The crown shown is called Koe kalauni, surrounded by a garland symbolizing the Kingdom of Tonga. Underneath these crowns, schematized faces can be made out, a rare feature in this type of work. On either side of these richly decorated concentric shapes, different symbols are represented on the surface of the tapas: on the right, stars probably symbolizing flowers; on the left, under lines forming a star, are suspended stems symbolizing "coats of arms". Expert : Aurore KRIER-MARIANI - 06 17 18 11 36