African Art

Paper Summary:

This paper talks about some of the art produced in Benin and Sierra Leone and why so much of the more ancient art of that region no longer remains. The paper then describes art from Benin that is approximately 500 years old and more recent artwork from Sierra Leone made in the 19th century. The naturalistic heads and bodies of the Ife tribes of Benin and the Nowo masks from Sierra Leone are described, and the materials and techniques used are explained as well. Images of both types of art are included with the paper.

From the Paper:

"Art from Benin, located in the rainforests of Nigeria on the coastal plain west of the Niger River, first came to the Western world in 1897, when members of a British expedition took out thousands of objects as war plunder after the English conquest. Through government and private sales, Benin sculptures were soon found on the shelves and displays of museums and personal collections in England, Europe and America (Ben-Amos, 9). The art of Benin is unique in Africa, due to its unusual makeup of cast brass and carved ivory. Much of artwork from this country acts as a heritage to the Royal Kingdom of Benin, one of the greatest times in the continent's history (Ezra, 2)."

More papers on African Art:

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