Professional Documents
Culture Documents
African Art
African Art
African Art
African Art
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Section: Christian, Islamic, and Hindu Tradition
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an avatar of Vishnu. Rama and Hanuman meet in the fifth
book of the Ramayana, when Rama is exiled from
Ayodhya, the capital of his father’s kingdom. Rama and his
brother Lakshmana search for Rama’s wife Sita, who was
kidnapped by Ravana. In sculpture and print Hanuman is
often depicted holding a scepter and Mount San Jeevani
and standing with one leg on a rock, but here he appears
carrying Rama and Lakshmana and trampling the giant
Kalanemi, who was sent by Ravana to kill Hanuman.
3
Hunter’s Shirt
Mali, Malinke
late 19th - early 20th Century
Cloth, leather, shells, animal
claws, horns
Ex coll. William S. Arnett.
1994.4.111
4
For over a millennium, West Africa has seen the presence
and influence of Islam, and for Mande-speaking hunters,
these shirts are an important part of their protection and
power. The apotropaic leather packets contain small pieces
of paper with verses from the Qur’an, the holy book of
Islam. Though the packets on this hunter’s shirt have not
been opened, typically blacksmiths and teachers of Islam,
who hold a special status within society, choose and write
the words of God to protect and empower the hunter.
5
Processional Cross
Ethiopia, Gondar
late 18th Century
Brass
Museum purchase. 2005.65.1
6
brass crosses are mounted on wooden shafts, accented by
colorful ribbons and processed during the service.
7
Icon
Ethiopia, Gondar
late 17th Century
Wood, pigment
Lent by Charles S.
Ackerman. L2007.11.1
Christianity became an
official religion in Ethiopia
around 330 CE, making the
Coptic Church the oldest
Christian sect in Africa. The artistic traditions that came
with it, particularly the making of icons, resemble
Byzantine and Medieval art in medium, subject matter, and
form. Icons are images of saints, Christ, the Madonna, and,
as seen in the object displayed here, narratives such as the
Crucifixion. Though icons can be monumental in scale,
they are more typically smaller, personal ones, that can
easily be closed and easily carried by the owner.
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with her Beloved Son; St. George on horseback slaying the
dragon, found in the register beneath the mother and child;
and the crucifixion scene in the upper register of the right
panel of the icon, which corresponds to a scene on the back
of the cross.
9
Do Muso Mask
Côte d’Ivoire, Dyula
1770 – 1890
Pewter, brass
Lent by Charles S. Ackerman.
L2007.11.2
10
often closely linked to trade networks. As a trading post,
blacksmiths had access to imported European metals, which
feature prominently in this Do muso mask.
11
Section: Objects for Personal Use and Adornment
Beaded Blanket
(Irari)
South Africa,
Ndzundza
Ndebele.after
1940
Wool, glass and
plastic beads,
cotton
Gift of Norma Canelas Roth and William D. Roth.
2005.88.4
12
Older aprons are embroidered on leather and use
larger white spaces, while more recent examples utilize
thick, durable canvas and often illustrate more figurative
beadwork, reflecting trends in house painting. Similarly, the
blankets, worn by married women, replace leather capes,
and are brightly colored woolen blankets, called
“Middleburg blankets” for the South African city in which
they are mass produced, embellished to individualize them.
The tradition of beading blankets to mark significant events
in a woman’s life continues. The beadwork on the blanket
displayed here does not say anything in particular, but uses
the design quality of the alphabet to adorn the blanket,
creating a complex pattern when added in horizontal strips
over the vertical stripes of color.
13
Headrest
Zimbabwe, Shona
early 20th Century
Wood
Museum purchase. 2013.2.1
14
EXAMPLE (1 of 6)
Textile
Democratic Republic of the
Congo, Kuba
20th Century
Raffia, pigment
Ex coll. William S. Arnett.
1994.4.521, 810, 519, 522,
524, 510
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community, both uniting and contrasting with the border
designs that link the sections together.
16
Seydou Keïta (Mali, 1921 -
2001)
Untitled Portrait
1956-1960
Gelatin silver print
Gift of the Art History
Department. 2000.7
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complemented by the traditional gold pendant and ear
ornaments given to her at marriage. This adornment
provides a counterpoint to the modern wristwatch, which
was probably borrowed from Keïta’s studio, and the
fashionable m’boubou decorated with stenciled
flowers. While the photograph was taken around 1957,
based on the background, the artist printed it in 2000.
18
Section: Masks and Movement
Kanaga Mask
Mali, Dogon
mid 20th Century
Wood, raffia, paint, hide with fur
Gift of Dr. Jay S. Friedman.
1982.16
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suspenders. The masquerader secures the mask by biting
down on a bit, though there is netting in the back to keep it
upright. Though the wood is not heavy, his dance includes
whipping his body around and scraping the tip of the mask
to the earth, making it a dynamic and audible procession.
20
Von Gla Mask
Liberia, Wè, Bété-Guere
ca. 1970s
Wood, metal, hair, fiber,
pigment, bullet casings
Ex coll. William S. Arnett.
1994.4.607
21
town or village. These masks serve a judicial function but
their aggressive appearance also repels negative energies.
22
Mask (Nwamba)
Burkina Faso, Bwa
mid 20th Century
Wood, pigment
Ex coll. William S. Arnett.
1999.3.58
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auxiliary nature spirits. Painted with red, black, and white,
the geometric designs expose spiritual, political, moral, and
economic messages when read and interpreted by initiates.
The plank masks (nwantantay) are completed by a large
raffia costume and dynamic interactive choreography.
Nwamba dance after the harvest when the farmers return to
the village and integrate back into society.
24
Cap Crest Mask
Nigeria, Cross River region
19th – 20th Century
Wood, pigment
Museum purchase. 2005.69.1
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been covered, and the face of the mask, with its long neck
and crest hairstyle, would have made the performer a
towering presence above the spectators.
26
Agbogho Mmuo
Nigeria, Igbo
Wood, pigment, yarn
mid 20th Century
Gift of Graham and
Maryagnes Kerr. 2015.5.44
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features are delicate, embodying the concept of beauty, and
her crest contains geometric designs and chameleons at the
top. The blue pigment is washer’s blue or laundry blue, a
pigment used to whiten in the laundry, but often used to
simulate indigo. The dance that would play out is flirtatious
and allows the maidens to compete among each other.
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Nyau Society Mask
Malawi, Chewa
mid 20th Century
Wood, fabric, twine, human
hair, pigment, beads
Gift of Sally and Joe Gladden
in honor of Charles S.
Ackerman, 2015 Woolford B.
Baker Service Award recipient.
2015.20.1
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community. The mischievous characters interact with and
perform for the audience to teach moral lessons and enforce
social norms. This extraordinary example is carved from a
dense, oily hardwood and sparingly decorated with red
European paint. Its commanding presence is marked by a
strong brow, varying textures and materials in the beard,
and a rather wild full head of hair.
This particular mask was collected by Dr. Donald Brody,
the official biographer to Hastings Banda, the first President
of the Republic of Malawi, who ruled from independence in
1964 until 1994.
30
Mask (detail)
Liberia, Dan-Kran
1930s
Brass, fabric, cowrie shells
Lent by Dr. Larry J. and
Barbara Schulz. L2015.20.1
31
Made in the West Africa nation of Liberia, this mask is
aesthetically related to the Wè mask presented in this
group, and was probably commissioned by a Poro society,
a male group into which one must be initiated. Brass masks
often represent especially important spirits and ancestors,
marked by the permanence of the material. This mask,
however, raises more questions than answers: was the brass
face made at the same time as the costume or was it re-
appropriated? With such a heavy facemask, how would it
have been worn and danced? Are the textiles used for the
costume contemporary to its production or were they
scraps from earlier garments? What is known from the
Carlos’s conservation efforts is that the mask is a composite
of brass, lead, and copper and the costume was repeatedly
worn and repaired.
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Section: Materiality
Power associations,
predominantly run by men,
oversee many aspects of West
African communities, from
education and initiation to
judicial administration and
civic morality. The associations are also responsible for
commissioning and executing a range of artistic projects,
from performances and festivals to masks and sculptures. In
Mali, one such organization is Kónó, the members of which
are highly knowledgeable in the ways of nyama, the energy
or life force that imbues everything. Nyama can both create
and destroy and therefore must be protected. Like the Kónó
member’s knowledge, which is built up over time, the
surface of the mask is also made more powerful through the
accumulation of surface material. This mask has an
application of a mud-like material, but it is also an object
that was used and repaired multiple times. The repairs were
integrated into the ritual use of the mask, making it
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stronger; the twine and wire reinforce a crack and create a
bundle-like amulet at the top of the trunk. The acts of
applying material and using the mask activates and
increases its potency.
34
Storage Vessel
Mozambique, Makonde
20th Century
Ceramic
Anonymous gift. 2004.16.57
Once the pot has dried, the potter applies a coat of slip, a
slurry of clay and water, before burnishing the pot to make
it shiny. The design is then incised on the surface and fired.
Once cooled, the surface is covered in a kaolin wash, which
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wears away from the surface over time, leaving behind a
whitened pattern.
36
Lipiko Mask
Mozambique, Makonde
ca. 1940
Wood, human hair, beeswax,
recycled tin, pigment
Gift of the Advisory Board.
2014.38.1
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nose. Carved from one piece of wood, the mouth is a
stylized diamond formed by two triangular lips; the nose is
subtle, protruding slightly from the plane of the face,
emphasizing the nostrils; the eyes are open, but articulated
as simple slivers; and the ears are spirals that unravel like a
fern. The beeswax keloids are still affixed and the complex
geometric coiffure is made of human hair. Notice the way
in which the scalloped hairline is reflected in the design of
the Makonde ceramic vessel also on display. The wood is
extremely thin and a rectangle of metal sheeting has been
used to repair a broken section. The delicacy and
expressiveness of this mask and its age are unusual.
Consider the other media such as drumming and
choreography that accompany and activate mapiko (plural).
These masks are still made today and speak to both an
historic culture and aesthetic in the face of a changing, but
ever present tradition.
38
Feathered Tunic
Cameroon, Bamileke
mid 20th Century
Burlap, chicken feathers
Gift of Dr. Larry J. and
Barbara Kaylor Schulz in
memory of Mr. and Mrs.
Dungan Edwards Kaylor.
2015.1.1
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Botolo
Democratic Republic of the
Congo, Ekonda
mid 20th Century
Fiber, brass, feathers
Museum purchase.
2015.21.1A/B
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Section: Power Figures
41
ancestor in traditional Africa is an extension of the living
elder.”
This work is rare because it still has its indigo beads, which
are often removed from old sculptures to adorn new ones.
Beads like this were imported from Europe and create a
work of striking color and texture: the smoothness of the
wood on the face contrasts with the bugle-beads, which add
length along the arms and legs and dynamism in the upper
breast. A third texture is found in the small white beads,
representing ivory bracelets and anklets, which
compositionally create separation so that the arms do not
get lost in the bowl and the feet do not get lost at the base
of the chair. The warmth of the wood is complemented by
the cool blue, but also reiterated by the red band at the
bottom. Indigo is an important color in West Africa; it is a
symbol of power, prosperity, and fertility. In the grasslands
a resist-dye indigo cloth called ndop is worn by royalty and
hung to distinguish royal spaces.
Gilbert Schneider, an American Baptist Missionary Society
member, worked in Laikom (where the Fon lives) in the
1950s. By the mid-twentieth century bowl figures were no
longer used in Laikom court ceremonies, so Foyn Law-aw
used this figure to pay Schneider for his help in acquiring a
new tin roof for the palace.
42
Mami Wata
Nigeria, Ibibio
early - mid 20th Century
Wood, kaolin, pigment
Gift of William S. Arnett.
1994.3.9
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on an altar and offered alcohol, perfume, jewelry, and other
luxury items to encourage her favor and win her loyalty.
44
Byeri Guardian Figure
Gabon, Fang
late 19th – early 20th Century
Wood, palm oil, pigment
Lent by Lewis M. Dubroff.
L2010.4.1
45
to leap into action. The figure is further animated by the
reflective surface that vibrantly responds to light. The goal
of the Byeri cult was to connect living and deceased so the
Fang kept the guardian figures and relics happy and
nourished with the application of camwood oil, giving the
figure a reddish sheen.
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Colonialism in Africa
47
The horns are rich with imagery that can be read on a
variety of levels and the artist plays with perspective and
the contours of the horns as well. See, for example, the way
the British soldiers appear to be lying down, but if you
follow the line up they seem to be standing, looking up –
which is interesting in light of the actual attack: British
intelligence suggested that the Zulu would simply approach
their camp head on when, in fact, they had ascended the
hills behind the camp and attacked from behind and above
using a three-part formation made famous by Shaka Zulu
in which warriors form the chest, horns, and loins of a bull:
the chest attacks the enemy head on, the horns scoops them
up from the sides and back, and the loins turn their backs
to the skirmish to protect against any reinforcements that
are sent. Also notice the integration of Zulu imagery: look
for the snake facing the direction of the British soldiers,
which follows the Zulu tradition that a snake can be sent to
the household of your enemy.
48
Sculpture with Six Figures
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Loango, Vili
mid - late 19th Century
Ivory
Museum purchase. 2007.18.1
49
On two of the sides the artist depicts exchanges between
men dressed in European clothing and a man and woman
dressed in Loango attire. One side depicts an rural African
trader closing a deal with an urban African, wearing
elements of Scottish attire including a kilt, sporran, and a
tam o’Shanter. On the opposing side, the man in European
apparel greets the woman with his hand to his chin, a Vili
gesture of respect. The figures flanking the narrow sides of
the ivory are not as easy to interpret. Art historian Jessica
Stephenson reads the figure through a Christian lens as
Adam obscuring his genitals, perhaps informed by
missionaries, who would have been the primary market for
such an object. The other figure is a naked man hanging
from a wall, alluding to escape from slavery, which had
been abolished, but was still a widespread practice.
50
Colonial Figure Puppet
Nigeria, Ibibio, Annang
mid 20th Century
Wood, paint
Ex coll. William S. Arnett.
1994.4.110
51
day issues to locally appointed Nigerians. Colonial officers
were often assigned with little training in the cultures and
customs of the people where they were stationed, making
their behavior the subject of local satirical plays and social
commentary. This figure is easily recognizable as a colonial
officer in his uniform and is also a puppet used in Ekon
plays. On a seven-year cycle, the Anang Ibibio men’s Ekon
drama society in southeast Nigeria created public
performances that were not only entertaining, but also
allowed them to communicate social and political messages.
In this case, they are revealing the hypocritical paradox that
the officers who are trying to enforce the law and stamp out
corruption are the very same officers who are holding out
their hand demanding a monetary bribe.
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