African Folk Art Painting with Handwritten Story on Reverse handprinted lacquer bowl imported by Rosenthal Netter

imported by Rosenthal Netter

with dyed red and green grass used for the snake-like decoration

A perfect little vase for the bedside table or powder room - so pretty

at a recent estate sale

which makes it feel rather like a watercolor painting

African Folk Art Painting with Handwritten Story on Reverse handprinted lacquer bowl imported by Rosenthal NetterThis African folk art painting poses a bit of a mystery. It is emblematic of paintings from Zimbabwe and Cameroon, which similarly feature numerous figures and animals, engaged in various activities, rendered in wonderfully bright colors and patterns and, like this one, painted on panel as well as its surrounding frame. But what makes this one particularly intriguing is that pasted to the back of the painting and written in pencil in a childlike hand,