How do I care for my tapestry?

As with any work of art, direct sunlight will fade colors over time, especially for tapestries with natural dyes. We recommend hanging your tapestry in an area that avoids direct sun exposure to maintain vibrancy. To clean your woven tapestry, use a vacuum with an upholstery attachment or dry clean if necessary. Spot treatment can also be used with a gentle fabric cleaner, but we recommend testing it on a small area first. Alternatively, you may hand wash your tapestry using cold water, then hang it to dry in the shade. Some tapestries made from cotton fabric may be machine washed on cold.

What are the most common materials used to make tapestries?

When it comes to handcrafted traditional tapestries, the most common materials include wool, cotton, silk, and natural dyes. Certain regions incorporate unique materials or designs into their tapestries. In the Andes, alpaca fiber is commonly used. In India, one finds batik printed cotton. In Mexico and Central America sheep wool and natural cotton threads are frequently used. In Thailand, rich silk material is a feature of handmade tapestries.

What makes a tapestry eco-friendly?

To craft an eco-friendly tapestry, traditional artisans hold themselves to high standards, both in terms of materials and processes. Natural fibers, textiles, and dyes are derived from plants and trees. Some artisans even incorporate recycled or upcycled materials in their commitment to eco-friendly processes. Traditional art forms that are passed down through the generations are often painstakingly made by hand. They are naturally eco-friendly, as they avoid mass production, factory runoff, and industrial waste. This also means that each tapestry is uniquetruly one of a kind.

Are tapestries a good way to insulate a room?

When it comes to tapestries, function meets style! A handmade tapestry can be a great way to brighten up any living space while providing insulation against the cold. Materials like alpaca and sheep wool create natural warmth by trapping cool air inside the cloth, creating a more stable temperature within the room.

Are tapestries handmade?

While factory-produced tapestries are increasingly available to consumers, traditional, authentic tapestries are handmade by artisans who often learn the artform from older generations. Skilled makers from the Andes, India, Mexico and Thailand make use of foot-treadle or backstrap looms, where they interweave warp and weft threads and then tamp them down into a tight stitch. An artisan may finish a handmade tapestry by using a needle and thread or a sewing machine for final touches.

What are the most popular tapestry designs?

Traditional tapestries depict scenes and images which are drawn from the lives and natural environments of the artisans who craft them. Some include geometric designs, like the mandala, which is thought to represent wholeness and symmetry. Others make use of paisley, floral, or leafy patterns, particularly in tapestries from India. Central American tapestries may incorporate geometric motifs, animals, and people, while Mexican tapestries are often colorful with Greca patterns and designs. Thai artisans use symbols that are popular within Thai culture, religious characters, animal scenes, or depictions of human forms. Unique tapestries from the Andes are often vibrant with elaborate scenes that incorporate folklore, village life, and pastoral existence.

What are traditional methods of making tapestries?

The methods for making tapestries vary as widely as the regions from which they come. Because many traditional artisans adopt the methods of their ancestors, they have kept those ancient artforms alive and well. In the Andes, weavers often work on a wooden treadle loom in which they use foot pedals, called treadles, to control the weave of the tapestry. In Central America, the treadle loom and the backstrap loom are both integral to tapestry art. The backstrap loom is one of the oldest techniques which dates back thousands of years, in which one part of the loom is attached to the weaver and the other part is attached to a fixed object (historically, a tree). To create vibrant color, artisans embroider and dye their tapestries with natural plants and pigments. Around the world, weavers use tie-dye, Dabu (the application of wax or gum clay and resin to the cloth to create a diffuse color effect), Batik (an ancient method in which dye-resistant wax is applied to cloth to create select patterns of color), hand embroidery, and patchwork to create unique and diverse tapestry art.

Where did tapestries originate?

The tapestry is an ancient textile art form that dates back thousands of years to early civilizations in Peru, Egypt, and Thailand. In Peru, skilled weavers used colorful camelid fiber threads to create beautiful tapestries for ritualistic funeral mantles. Ancient Incas wove short tunics (Unku) to show importance and social status. Ancient Egyptians crafted shroud-like tapestries to bury their dead. Tapestries gained international prominence when Europeans began to decorate their castles and churches with elaborate textiles that depicted historical scenes, as well as religious messages. Today, skilled artisans preserve the ancient techniques of their ancestors. In Thailand, for example, silk weavers are renowned for techniques that have been used since the rule of the Angkor kings circa 800 A.D. In Central America, contemporary weavers pay homage to early Mayan artisans who used plants, shells, and even snails to color their first tapestries in the 15th century. In India, where some of the first tapestries were made and the textile industry became the base of their economy, the skills of generations past still live on in modern artisans.

Unique Wood Wall Decor Collection at NOVICA

Cedar relief panel, 'Our Lady of Tenderness' - Tender Portrait of Mary and Baby Jesus Handcarved in Cedar

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Our Lady of Tenderness, Tender Portrait of Mary and Baby Jesus Handcarved in Cedar

Montalvo Family

(62)

$249 Wholesale

$249

Wood relief panel, 'Lovely Tendrils' - Tendril Motif Suar Wood Relief Panel from Bali

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Lovely Tendrils, Tendril Motif Suar Wood Relief Panel from Bali

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(313)

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$104

Eucharist, Cedar Jesus Religious Wall Art Relief Panel

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(25)

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$197

Wood relief panel, 'Sun Flower' - Floral Sun-Themed Suar Wood Relief Panel from Bali

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Sun Flower, Floral Sun-Themed Suar Wood Relief Panel from Bali

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$79

Wood wall relief, 'Bestial Balance' - Hand Carved Dragon Duo Wood Wall Relief Panel from Indonesia

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Bestial Balance, Hand Carved Dragon Duo Wood Wall Relief Panel from Indonesia

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(313)

$87 Wholesale

$87

Wood relief panel, 'Sacred Om' - Wood relief panel

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$44

Wood relief panel, 'Hindu Goddess Saraswati' - Balinese Hand Carved Relief Panel of the Goddess Saraswati

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(33)

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$469

Sea Turtle Trio, Antiqued White Wood Turtle Theme Relief Panel Carving

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(155)

$54 Wholesale

$54

Balinese Spiral Flower, Hand Carved Floral Wood Wall Relief from Indonesia

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(313)

$104 Wholesale

$104

Reverse painted glass mirror, 'Cajamarca Warmth' - Rectangular Glass Wall Mirror Reverse Painted from Peru

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Cajamarca Warmth, Rectangular Glass Wall Mirror Reverse Painted from Peru

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(228)

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$209

Cedar wood relief panel, 'St. Joseph with the Baby Jesus' - Cedar Wood Relief Panel of St. Joseph with Baby Jesus

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St. Joseph with the Baby Jesus, Cedar Wood Relief Panel of St. Joseph with Baby Jesus

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(62)

$267 Wholesale

$267

Wood wall sculptures, 'Pair of Mares' (pair) - Pair of Handcarved Suar Wood Horse Heads Wall Sculptures

Pair of Mares, Pair of Handcarved Suar Wood Horse Heads Wall Sculptures

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(13)

$259 Wholesale

$259

Cedar relief panel, 'Our Lady of Guadalupe' - Religious Christianity Wood Relief Panel for the Wall

Bestseller

Our Lady of Guadalupe, Religious Christianity Wood Relief Panel for the Wall

Javier Ramirez

(22)

$218.49 Wholesale

~~$229.99~~ $218.49

Wood relief panel, 'Ethereal Leaves' - Hand-Carved Suar Wood Relief Panel of a Leafy Tree from Bali

Bestseller

Ethereal Leaves, Hand-Carved Suar Wood Relief Panel of a Leafy Tree from Bali

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(155)

$84 Wholesale

$84

Reverse-painted glass wall art, 'Flight of Calm' - World Peace, Peruvian Hand Painted Reverse Glass Wall Art

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Flight of Calm, World Peace, Peruvian Hand Painted Reverse Glass Wall Art

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(228)

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$117

Ghanaian Throne, Handcrafted Wood Wall Mirror in Black and Red from Ghana

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(11)

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$177

Aluminum mirror, 'Antique Magnificence' - Handcrafted Round Antiqued Aluminum Mirror from India

Bestseller

Antique Magnificence, Handcrafted Round Antiqued Aluminum Mirror from India

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(122)

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$109

Ancient Tree, Intricate Tree Suar Wood Relief Panel from Bali

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(614)

$117 Wholesale

$117

Loved Mother, Cedar Wood Wall Relief Panel of Mary and Jesus from Peru

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(62)

$109 Wholesale

$109

Wood relief panel, 'Young Buddha' - Buddha Portrait Balinese Relief Panel

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Young Buddha, Buddha Portrait Balinese Relief Panel

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(313)

$79 Wholesale

$79

Forest Spirit, Teak relief panel

Tay Nontawat

(20)

$87.75 Wholesale

~~$117~~ $87.75

Copper and wood wall cross, 'Faith Glitters' - Copper and Wood Wall Cross with Pyrite Accents from Peru

Bestseller

Faith Glitters, Copper and Wood Wall Cross with Pyrite Accents from Peru

Ronald Franco

(62)

$34 Wholesale

$34

Wood relief panel, 'Feeding Ducks' - Hand Carved Suar Wood Wall Panel Farmer Traditional Bali

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(225)

$64 Wholesale

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(228)

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$269

Countryside Flowers, Cedar Wood Wall Panel of Flower Farmers from Peru

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(62)

$159 Wholesale

$159

Street of Steps, Cedar Wood Relief Panel of Cuzco from Peru

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(62)

$159 Wholesale

$159

Wood and glass wall accent mirror, 'Energy of the Sun' - Sun Motif Wall Accent Mirror

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Energy of the Sun, Sun Motif Wall Accent Mirror

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(44)

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$99

Lotus Omkara, Hand-Carved Floral Om Suar Wood Relief Panel from Bali

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(313)

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Divine Universe, Hand-Carved Suar Wood Relief Panel with Sun and Moon Design

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(313)

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$59

Reverse painted glass mirror, 'Verdant Spring' - Hand Made Reverse Painted Glass Bird Mirror

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Verdant Spring, Hand Made Reverse Painted Glass Bird Mirror

Asunta Pelaez

(228)

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$199

Fire Dragon, Suar Wood Relief Wall Panel

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(313)

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$127

Reverse-painted glass wall cross, 'Flowers of Faith in Beige' - Handmade Glass Wall Cross with Floral Motifs

Bestseller

Flowers of Faith in Beige, Handmade Glass Wall Cross with Floral Motifs

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(44)

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Butterfly on a Flower, Floral Butterfly Suar Wood Relief Panel Crafted in Bali

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(659)

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$69

Wood relief panel, 'Dragon of Fire' - Hand Carved Suar Wood Balinese Dragon Relief Panel

Bestseller

Dragon of Fire, Hand Carved Suar Wood Balinese Dragon Relief Panel

Made Mulyani

(225)

$69 Wholesale

$69

Silver and bronze gilded wood wall mirror, 'Colonial Fleur-de-Lis' - Gilded Wood Wall Mirror from Peru

Bestseller

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(44)

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$174

Frangipani Flourish, Hand Carved Floral Suar Wood Wall Relief Panel

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(225)

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$49

Mahogany relief panel, 'Simbisa Dogon Board' - Mahogany Wall Relief Panel Carved & Painted by Hand in Ghana

Bestseller

Simbisa Dogon Board, Mahogany Wall Relief Panel Carved & Painted by Hand in Ghana

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(3)

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$269

Ceramic mosaic mirror, 'Cycle of Spring Blooms' - Multicolor Spring-Patterned Round Ceramic Mosaic Mirror

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Cycle of Spring Blooms, Multicolor Spring-Patterned Round Ceramic Mosaic Mirror

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(2)

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$244

Natural Grace, Guatemalan Artisan Crafted Carved Wood Wall Mirror

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(2)

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$224

Saint Judas Thaddaeus, Christian-Inspired Cedarwood Judas Thaddaeus Relief Panel

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(22)

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$174

Jesus Mary and John I, Cedar cross

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(62)

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Eco-friendly teak wood relief panel, 'Elephant Quartet' - Reclaimed Teak Wood Elephant Relief Panel

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Elephant Quartet, Reclaimed Teak Wood Elephant Relief Panel

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Tree Hugger, Suar Wood Relief Panel with Tree Motif

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(13)

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$94

Circle Balance, Hand Carved Wood Relief Panel

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(20)

$104.25 Wholesale

~~$139~~ $104.25

Wood relief panel, 'Forest Corner' - Hand Crafted Suar Wood Vine Motif Relief Panel from Bali

Bestseller

Forest Corner, Hand Crafted Suar Wood Vine Motif Relief Panel from Bali

Made Mulyani

(225)

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Resin-coated wood and natural fiber wall art, 'Echoing Divide' - Thai-Made Nature-Themed Longan Wood and Wildflower Wall Art

New Arrival

Echoing Divide, Thai-Made Nature-Themed Longan Wood and Wildflower Wall Art

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Resin-coated wood and natural fiber wall art, 'Batch Origins' - Sylvan-Themed Handmade Longan Wood Natural Fiber Wall Art

New Arrival

Batch Origins, Sylvan-Themed Handmade Longan Wood Natural Fiber Wall Art

Martin Halpin

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$674

Resin-coated wood and natural fiber wall art, 'Wild Horizons' - Spring-Themed Wood and Natural Fiber Wall Art from Thailand

New Arrival

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Martin Halpin

$674 Wholesale

$674

Resin-coated wood and natural fiber wall art, 'Rooted Echoes' - Resin-Coated Longan Wood and Natural Wildflower Wall Art

New Arrival

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$699

Resin-coated wood and natural fiber wall art, 'Eclipsed Bloom' - Thai Inspirational Nature-Themed Wood and Flower Wall Art

New Arrival

Eclipsed Bloom, Thai Inspirational Nature-Themed Wood and Flower Wall Art

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$399

Resin-coated wood and natural fiber wall art, 'Golden Desert Chasm' - Artisan-Made Nature-Themed Wood and Natural Fiber Wall Art

New Arrival

Golden Desert Chasm, Artisan-Made Nature-Themed Wood and Natural Fiber Wall Art

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$469 Wholesale

$469

Wood, resin and natural flower wall art, 'Ethereal Ember' - Modern Wood Resin Dried Flowers and Leaves Wall Art

New Arrival

Ethereal Ember, Modern Wood Resin Dried Flowers and Leaves Wall Art

Martin Halpin

$699 Wholesale

$699

Resin-coated wood and natural fiber wall art, 'Nocturne' - Nature-Themed Inspirational Wood and Natural Fiber Wall Art

New Arrival

Nocturne, Nature-Themed Inspirational Wood and Natural Fiber Wall Art

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$799 Wholesale

$799

The Creation, Cedar relief panel

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(62)

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$149

Wood wall mirrors, 'Golden Snowflakes' (set of 3) - Snowflake Bronze Leaf Wall Mirrors (Set of 3)

Golden Snowflakes, Snowflake Bronze Leaf Wall Mirrors (Set of 3)

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(47)

$99 Wholesale

$99

Rose Bouquet, Rose Flower Teak Wood Relief Panel from Thailand

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(20)

$63.20 Wholesale

~~$79~~ $63.20

Reverse painted glass wall mirror, 'Green Peruvian Elegance' - Reverse Painted Glass and Wood Framed Wall Mirror from Peru

Bestseller

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Moon Over Garden, Hand Made Suar Wood Moon-Motif Relief Panel

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(225)

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Wood relief panel, 'Herons in a Lotus Pond' - Hand Made Suar Wood Bird Relief Panel

Bestseller

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Eka

(659)

$69 Wholesale

$69

Rafflesia Radiance, Balinese Hand-Carved Wood Wall Rafflesia Flower Relief Panel

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(313)

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$74

Generous Goddess, Warm-Toned Gourd and Glass Wall Art of Vigorous Woman

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(1)

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$189

Virgin of Guadalupe and Angels, Decoupage on Pinewood Cross of The Virgin of Guadalupe

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(273)

$49 Wholesale

$49

Owl Watcher, Owl-Themed Pochote Wood Relief Panel from Costa Rica

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(5)

$142.49 Wholesale

~~$149.99~~ $142.49

Growing Bamboo, Hand Carved Suar Wood Leaf-Motif Relief Panel

Made Mulyani

(225)

$69 Wholesale

$69

Wood relief panel, 'Floral Jungle' - Hand-Carved Brown Leafy and Floral Relief Panel from Bali

Bestseller

Floral Jungle, Hand-Carved Brown Leafy and Floral Relief Panel from Bali

Made Mulyani

(225)

$77 Wholesale

$77

Joyous Goddess, Colorful Calabash Gourd and Glass Wall Art of Vigorous Woman

Canis Dacosta Edwards

(1)

$189 Wholesale

$189

Pink Divinity, Pine Wood Handwoven Pink Wall Art with Geometric Motifs

Fher and Armando

$239 Wholesale

$239

Decoupage wood key holder, 'Heaven Heart' - Artisan-Made Heart-Themed Decoupage Pinewood Key Holder

New Arrival

Heaven Heart, Artisan-Made Heart-Themed Decoupage Pinewood Key Holder

Ana Maria Gonzalez

(273)

$34 Wholesale

$34

Teak relief panel, 'Elephant Planet' - Unique Teak Wood Elephant Relief Panel

Bestseller

Elephant Planet, Unique Teak Wood Elephant Relief Panel

Tay Nontawat

(20)

$113.60 Wholesale

~~$142~~ $113.60

Balinese Heliconia, Floral Balinese Relief Panel Hand Carved Wall Sculpture

Seji Taram

(313)

$74 Wholesale

$74

Wood relief panel, 'The Promise of Love' - Hand-Carved Heart-Shaped Brown Suar Wood Relief Panel

Bestseller

The Promise of Love, Hand-Carved Heart-Shaped Brown Suar Wood Relief Panel

Wayan Rendah

(614)

$87 Wholesale

$87

Saint Rose of Lima, Bronze Leaf Cedar Hand Carved Relief Panel St Rose of Lima

Javier Ramirez

(22)

$189.99 Wholesale

~~$199.99~~ $189.99

Hopeful Goddess, Orange Gourd and Glass Wall Art of Daydreaming Woman

Canis Dacosta Edwards

(1)

$189 Wholesale

$189

Wood relief wall panel, 'Touch of Jepun' - Hand Carved Suar Wood Relief Panel of Frangipani

Bestseller

Touch of Jepun, Hand Carved Suar Wood Relief Panel of Frangipani

Seji Taram

(313)

$47 Wholesale

$47

Reverse painted glass wall mirror, 'Marine Flair' - Reverse Painted Glass Wood Bronze Aluminum Leaf Wall Mirror

Bestseller

Marine Flair, Reverse Painted Glass Wood Bronze Aluminum Leaf Wall Mirror

Marcos Luzalde

(44)

$64 Wholesale

$64

Snowy Bouquet, Floral Wood Relief Panel in White from India

Arti Sharma

(136)

$129 Wholesale

$129

Let Us Pray, Handcrafted Sese Wood Wall Sculpture of Hands from Ghana

Kobina Asmah

(24)

$57 Wholesale

$57

The Holy Family, Holy Family Nativity-Themed Wood and Ceramic Wall Art

Liz Oliva

$59 Wholesale

$59

Tree of Life, Tree of Life-Themed Hand-Carved Distressed Wood Relief Panel

Shashi Moza

$39 Wholesale

$39

Floral Mirage, Classic Floral and Paisley Marble Dust Relief Wall Art

Neelima Gupta

(4)

$119 Wholesale

$119

The Macaw, Artisan-Made Cedarwood Key Holder with Macaw Bird Portrait

Hugo Pichiya

(1)

$77 Wholesale

$77

Meditating Virgin, Hand-Painted Cedar Wood Relief Panel of Mary from Peru

Montalvo Family

(62)

$109 Wholesale

$109

Mahogany relief panel, 'Malian Dogon Board' - Ghanaian Mahogany Wall Relief Panel Carved & Painted by Hand

Bestseller

Malian Dogon Board, Ghanaian Mahogany Wall Relief Panel Carved & Painted by Hand

Ayoma Alhassan

(3)

$389 Wholesale

$389

Winged Dragon Figure, Artisan Crafted Wood Relief Panel

Seji Taram

(313)

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$69

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