Two South African Hand-Crafted Wool Textiles Including Ndonyane Centre Tapestry by Mildred Ngcobo

This lot comprises two vintage hand-crafted textiles originating from the KwaZulu-Natal region of South Africa. The primary piece is a hand-woven wool tapestry produced at the Ndonyane Centre in Umzinto. A contemporary paper tag attached to the reverse identifies the weaver as Mildred Ngcobo and provides a production date of April 1982. The composition features a series of stylized, abstracted figures and motifs arranged in a grid-like format. Iconography includes skeletal figures with prominent rib cages, stylized trees, and various geometric and architectural shapes, rendered in a palette of natural earth tones including cream, brown, grey, and black. The textile is constructed from hand-spun wool on a cotton or synthetic warp and is mounted on two light wooden rods with a braided hanging cord.

The second item is a smaller decorative textile featuring a stylized figure in profile, possibly a sampler or study. The figure is worked in heavy wool yarn using a tufted or hooked technique onto a canvas backing. The subject is depicted with a multi-coloured feathered headdress and an orange garment or shield. This piece reflects the mid-20th-century Southern African community art tradition, blending traditional Zulu motifs with modern graphic sensibilities.

Ndonyane Centre Tapestry: 83 cm x 32 cm
Weight: 360 gr.