AFRICAN ART
COMPLEX to define, technically all art made by African Artists is African art; Africans’
definition includes function. Never art for art’s sake. Once removed from context- lost
meaning. Westerners look at aesthetics only. Rarely individually produced;
collaborative art. Very few objects acquired prior to late 19th century; becomes
fashionable in the 20th century
CULTURAL CONTEXT: Function is clearly identifiable – may contain or symbolize
power. May heal, entertain, teach, tell histories, curse, protect, or adorn bodies and
architecture. Usually related to magical, social rites
GENDER SPECIFIC: Varies from tribe to tribe
FUNCTION: SPIRITUAL: Art is directly related to spirit world- ancestors, nature
spirits, deities Masquerades honor ancestors and depict nature spirit shrines are
dedicated to them figures carved as aids to communicate. POWER: emphasizes power
of leaders MASKS & MASQUERADES: Considered art by Africans
STYLE & PRODUCTS: sculpture, jewelry masks, weapons, textiles, body art, etc.
Sculpture and relief: Often elongated, scarified, emotionless, rigid, static, combines
stylization with naturalization.Often emphasizes the head or forehead
INFLUENCE: Highly influential in modern world – especially Picasso and Braque’s –
cubist styles and other abstract styles
Benin Art “Court Art”
Founded by the son of an Ife King c1300; apogee -c15th-16th
Introduced to brass gilting and ivory work by Portuguese
Art - Associated with king (Oba) (divine king)
Displayed during parades, processions or on
ancestral altars; commissioned by king
Brass heads and figures created for royal palace
New Oba dedicates altar to predecessor
Rectangular altars surmounted with brass heads
figures, ivory tusks, bells rattle staffs
Tribute to deceased and point of contact to his spirit
Oba calls spirit with bells and rattles and offers
sacrifices
Mostly Benin heads believed to be kings; now belief
is they may be prisoners
Iconography – power, divinity of leader; animals, hierarchal
Style – thin cases, prominent chins to 16th C. thicker casts
showing a high collar extending to the mouth, stylized, rings
around neck
The earliest heads have light thin
walls and a tight fitting collar that
does not cover the chin. They
have no beaded crown. They are
more naturalized than later heads.
The next period includes heads that
have necks covered with stylized
coral beads often the chin is covered
and the beads reach the mouth, with
the addition of bead clusters to the
crown. The head is far more stylized
and has a wide cylindrical shape,
additionally the cheeks appear
swollen and eyes enlarged
In the third period, the flange is
expanded and the features are
further exaggerated. There are
wing-like projections on the crowns
which are thought to represent the
ceremonial swords of the court.
There are also representations of
beads that hang in front of the eyes.
Altar of the Hand (Ikegobo)
Most Benin products used by
divine king and court and given as
gifts to others.
Style: symmetric, hierarchal with
focus on king (top and side)
Personal altar – make sacrifices to
their own powers of
accomplishment – symbolized by
hand and arm
Concern here: Power
Animals: leopards, elephants,
crocodiles (commonly Benin)
represent kings of their realms
Ancestral Altar – bleached-white tusks
(purity, power of animals), head-holders
repel evil and show enduring power of king
rattles, bells, hierarchal king
Altar perpetuates image of royal power and
its renewal
Akan Art – Central Ghana – forest area
Asanti or Ashati Tribe (combined with coastal – Fante and
Ewe and northern savannah – Gur (unknown and poorly
understood).
The Asante people are a hierarchical, matrilinear people
who distinguish status though art. Court regalia are publicly
displayed during ceremonies where the queen mother,
chief, and sub-chiefs gather.
Decorative Objects- put in shrines(commoners and kings)
where magical materials were kept. Also known for female
dolls (Akuaba), stools, statues, maternity statues, textiles,
jewelry
The Golden Stool is the focal point of the creation of the
Akan political system. It is said to have descended from
heaven to rest on the first king as a result of the prayers of
the chief priest when the Asante Kingdom emerged as
independent from Denkyira in the 17th century.
20-40 cm, stylized elongated body
and enlarged circular head-disc shaped (sometimes triangular or
rectangular); consecrated by priests,
have power to make barren women
conceive, they are carried around like
a real child, after use-placed in a
domestic shrine.
Akan heads and (rare) figures carried into
funeral ceremonies of chiefs. They were
paraded through the village and left on
grave or set on shrine where libations
were offered.
Two styles exist: one (Fante) shows a
rounded head. And a second important
style (here) has a flattened face – showing
a connection to the Akuaba dolls
The Golden Stool is the
spiritual center of the Asante.
It was said to contain the
spirit of the whole of the
Asante nation and that all the
strength of the nation
depended on the safety of the
stool. The stool embodies
the political unity of the
Akan states and the power of
the chiefs. Departed kings
are represented by stools that
have been blackened during a
sacrificial ceremony. The
blackened stool truly honors
the strength and continuity of
the throne.
Dan – Also known as Yacuba
Western Ivory Coast and into Liberia – forests and
savannah, farmers (cocoa, rice, manioc)
Until 1800’s Villages autonomous with chief
elected by wealth and social position – after turn of
century -Secret unifying societies set up.
Leopard Society today acts a regulator of life,
young men initiated – 3-4 months isolation in forest
Known for entertainment festivals with maskers on
stilts
Dan face masks – concave face, pointed chin,
protruding mouth, upturned nose, high-domed
forehead, eyes set in middle of face, often with rich
brown patina – variations occur
Functions: varied- job oriented, entertainment
Bagle Masks –
oval, concave,
low forehead,
tubular eyes,
entertainment:
wearer dances
and beats
musicians with
stick and
throws objects
in their way.
Deangle Mask –
ridge in middle
of forehead and
slit eyes –
sometimes
covered with
white kaolin
worn by the
intermediary
who acts
between the
village the forest
initiation camp.
Dugle
Mask (cow)
high
forehead
and huge
mouth
resembling
a beak and
is worn for
entertainm
ent
purposes.
Zakpai Mask
– has red cloth
over eyes, It
acts against
bush fires
during the dry
season.
Kaogle Mask
has triangular
cheek-bones
and eyes and
its wearer is
meant to
stimulate a
festive mood
among the
audience by
throwing
sticks at them.
Bugle Mask
Gagon Mask
characterized by also worn for
exaggerated
entertainment
mouth, dark, thick purposes has
patina, stylized
high-domed
horns on forehead, forehead, slit
high feathered
eyes, long,
coiffure. Wearer beak-like nose
dances and makes with black
trouble in order to monkey fur
provoke a reaction attached under
from spectators – and a long,
prewar
mobile jaw.
ceremonies.
Gunyeya Mask a
racing mask has a
pointed face, large
circular eyes.
Wearer pursued by
an unmasked
runner; if caught,
unmasked runner
wears mask and is
pursued. These
races trained men
to fight – winners
gained social
recognition. Today
– more a game.
Dan Maou
Mask large
face maskers
with chins
issuing a long
beak, triple
incised
grooves on
edges -feared
as it has
judiciary
function.
Denounces
spell casters
Passport Masks
– sewn onto
cloth and kept in
leather pouch
possible worn in
small of back –
miniature copies
of a family
mask,
sometimes
received
libations –acted
as witnesses
during initiation
ceremonies
Dan Go Ge Mask
Set under an elaborate coiffure with
insert talismans. Belongs to the secret
Go society. It was only worn during the
funeral ceremonies of important chiefs
and epitomizes the elegance of Dan
Masks. Its features change from one
village to another but are usually large,
and have an elaborated plaited coiffure.
Nok
Central Nigeria – ceramic
sculpture, terra cotta
Earliest African Sculpture in the
round 5th Century BC
Function – unknown, but
probably in a ritualistic context,
possibly because of spherical
bases found, they served as roof
finials or grave markers, or
funerary urn tops
Classical Style: full size figures,
smooth modeling, enlarged
haughty head, cast-down eyes
(inverted triangles) and intricate
jewelry suggesting stone beads
Variations on classical Nok Style
Elongated style
Katsina
Classical
Classical
Elongated
Elongated Style: elongated face and features. Style seen to influence Rodin
Katsina terracotta figures display typical globular eyes with curved lower eyelid
which convey a subtle expression. They have exaggerated, elongated heads with
elaborate coiffure and jewelry. Eyes similar to classical Nok.
Katsina Figure
Katsina figure
terracotta with
globular eyes
and rounded
features.
Elongated neck
of this female
figure
emphasizes her
head.
Sokoto figure – another variation
on the Nok Classical sculpture; has
overhanging heavy eyebrows that
weigh over the brows. These
figures tend to be cruder that the
classical Nok figures and lack the
detail. Their cone-shaped body
indicate they may have phallic
connotation
Classified as being of the
“elongated style” The
symbolism of the sculpture’s
posture of chin on knee is
unknown.
Yoruba
Tribes live in area of forest and savannah Prolific
artists and craftsmen and can be attributed to a
specific artist – Olowe of Ise Artistic tradition
traced back to AD 1000 near city of Ife in
southwestern Nigeria
Sculptures in stone, terra cotta, and most famously
cast metal as well as wood carving – did not survive
Gender specific – women: potters and weavers, men
wood and metal Tools of woodcarving include
adzes (primary tool), chisels, knives training – years
of apprenticeships to a master artist family
professions, commissions from distant towns and
cities
Stylistic conventions: idealized and naturalistic
emphasizes most important aspects of human form;
globular eyes, emphasis on head, high coiffures,
complex statues on head.
Function: symbolic of power and spirituality
Ibeji figures representing
deceased twins. According to
Yoruba belief, they influence
the daily lives of family
members and hence are
honored with libation and
prayers
Style: globular eyes, idealized
bodies, high coiffures brings
emphasis to head.
Ceremonial Figurative Cup
Divination trays are found all over
Yorubaland. During divination
ceremonies, Yoruba diviners cover the
center of the tray with saw dust, and
the diviner evokes the spirits with the
help of an ivory or wooden taper and
then throws sixteen palm nuts onto the
tray. Their position reveals the answer
to the question asked. Following the
ceremony, the nuts are stored here.
Esu Dance Wand
Yoruba Deities called Orisha – each has own
iconography; many associated with specific
colors, animals, and objects.. Key Orisha is
Eshu ( Esu, Elegba or Legba) mischievous,
powerful messenger liason between humans and
gods No sacrifice, no matter how generous will
capture attention if Eshu does not bring message
from earth to spirit world Eshu is revered in
shrines where staffs carved with his figure are
placed on his altar or carried by dancers during
annual festivals.
Characterized by enlarged backward-swept
coiffure, symbolizing the shape of his club and
can be covered by strings of cowrie shells
representing wealth and fecundity.
Typically African: function important,contain
of symbols of power, cultural context important
Yoruba Beaded
Crowns
Among the most colorful of
African works of art. They
were worn by the king and his
courtiers or given as gifts to
important visitors
Olowe of Ise
Elongated, angular, and dynamic
characteristics of Olowe of Ise art are
shown in this complex veranda post.
Equestrian motif (also found in Mali)
shows the status attached to the ownership
of horses.
Epa Mask
This Epa mask has most of the
characteristics of Yoruba art –
emphasized face, globular eyes, high
coiffure and a complex statue on top of
its head. When not worn by dancers
during ceremonies related to rites of
passage, the mask was reverentially kept
and honored with libations.
Kongo
Kongo represents those who occupy region at the
mouth of the Congo River – vast cultural complex.
Diverse artistically
Religious pantheon small. One all-powerful god who
gives healing power to leaders
Funerary Figures:
Wood Statues:
Maternity figures:
Nail Fetish Figures:
People seek in crisis to obtain spirits
protection by driving nails into its carved
wooden likeness and shouting at it. Other
powerful substances like root may be attached
to the figure. To guard against misuse a
mirror is affixed to the figures to reflect back
the evil intent.
Funerary Art – decorated steles, funerary statues –
aid the spirits of the dead to join the world of the
deceased.
Postures vary – but very often the depict the chief
seated cross-legged in a posture of reflection.
Some of these were placed on tombs to aid the
spirits of the dead to join the world of the
deceased.
Wood sculptures represent royal wives,
hunters, musicians, and healers. Again,
postures vary: sometimes they kneel in a
position of respect, the head slightly
backwards; women might be depicted
seated with a child. Cheeks are round, face
carefully rendered as realistic. Smooth
patina and scarified bust. These were used
to used to ward off danger to mothers
during delivery and to protect the health of
the child
Maternity statues –
effectiveness
depends on the
dignity of the figure
and its youth
(shown by firm
breasts) and the
jewelry.
Nail Fetish figures – Nkisi (medicine)
Nail and mirror fetishes existed as either public and private. Some had vital
democratizing roles, giving rural residents and individuals outside the court some
power. At most basic it contains medicines – blood, animal, vegetable and mineral
matter –in cavities in the stomach, head or back. Fetish figures have power to provide
contact with spirits.
Four types: Nkonda – fetishes of ill omen (brandish weapons)
Npezo – evil, less menacing
Moganga are benevolent figures, protect against sickness and dangerous
spirits –helping the hunter and warrior
Mbula – protect against witchcraft
Kongo Nail Fetish
In order stimulate and obtain a
spirit’s protection. Kongo people
hammer nails into its wooden
representation and shout at it.
The contrast between the delicate
treatment of the face and the
roughness of the nails is striking.
Djenne
Djenne style terracotta statues are
attributed to the Mali Empire.
Style: Naturalistic rounded features and
facial scarification, bulbous eyes; some
have elongated features (Bankoni style);
sometimes rectilinear appearance.
Wood and terracotta statues
Themes: kneeling and seated figures,
equestrian figures displaying large
arrays of weapons, standing figures
engaged in daily activities, and
maternity figures. Establish social roles
Function: Unclear, although some are
covered with; red slip – associated with
death, possible ceremonial purpose
Djenne figures – terra cotta 12th –
15th century
Two riders, one on a horse and one a
buffalo, rare and of exceptional
quality; great prestige is attached to
the rider; beard means status, buffalo
rider holds a boy – probably a
warrior.
Djenne Archetype
Kneeling figure is an
archetype of Djenne art. Its
hieratic posture and the
attention to detail indicated a
refined civilization
BANKONI
The elongated features of
these two terracotta figures are
characteristic of the Bankoni
style. Jewelry indicates
possible noblewoman
Djennenke Figure
This wooden Djenneke wooden figure
has a typical loincloth and rectangular
temple scarification found on Djenne
terracotta figures. Its encrusted patina
testifies to numerous libations and
offerings which suggest a ritual function.
Do you know your African art?
Yoruban Dance Wand
Classical Nok Figure
Early Benin Head
Konga Maternity Statue
Late Benin Relief
Akan stool from Asante
Konga Nail Fetish Figure
Dan Kagle Mask
Djenne Equestrian Statue
from Mali
Akan Akuaba Figure