Eastern and Southern Africa

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1. EAf: Zaramo, NE Tanzania. Staff Finial, before 1917. Wood. Staatliche Museum Fur Volkerkunde, Munich. Visona identifies this mother and child as a form of mwana hiti, an object given to a girl before her pubescent seclusion. Mwana hiti take many forms, and usually historically important to a family. This staff head may have belonged to a spiritial leader, and it represented ancestral power and fertility. (e450.zaramo.s.JPG) 2. EAf: Nyamwezi ("people of the moon"), Great Rift Valley, W Tanzania. Display Figure, 19- early 20th c. Wood. Coll. Jean Willy Mestach, Brussels. (e454.fig.nyamwezi.s.JPG) 3. EAf: Makonde. Standing Figure, before 1966. Wood & pigment, ht. 15 1/4". Museu Nacional de Etnologia, Lisbon. Willett considers most Makonde work within the Luba style group. (e460.makonde.fig.s.JPG) 4. EAf: Makonde. Helmet Mask. Tamaran Gallery. This is very similar to the The Brooklyn Museum we examined in slides, and again, "the artist has subordinated everything to the full volumes and horizontal lines of the face," as in contemporary MaKonde sculpture. The Visona examples are not contemporary.(e460.makonde.helmet.mask.s.jpg) 5. EAf: Bongo. Grave Figure, late 19th-20th c. Wood, ht 7' 10 1/2". The Menil Collection, Houston. Generic image of a deceased man for a grave. I shortened the column. (e465.bongo.fig.s.JPG) 6. SAf: "San" related peoples, Fetcani Glen, Drakensberg Mts., South Africa. Dancing Figures, undated. Pigment on rock. "San" is a generic term for people living throughout southern Africa. Visona writes the San of this area and who probably made these paintings suffered complete genocide in the late 19th c. by "Afrikaaners," Dutch, English, French, and German invaders. Painted rock art of area peoples found so far dates from 21,000 BC until the genocide. San still exist in other areas, and were called "bushmen" by Europeans. (s477.san.dance-figs.s.JPG) 7. SAf: Shona. Headrest, late 19-early 20th c. Wood, ht 5 1/2". The British Museum, London. (s484.shona.headrest.s.JPG)

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8. SAf: Sotho. Top of Staff, early 20th c. Wood, ht. 45". The British Museum, London. Visona, p. 488, writes "the figure represents its owner, an important Sotho leader" and the "tactile pleasure the owner must have felt when grasping the staff." But in my observation, what is significant is the design brilliantly combines identity, aesthetics, and practical curves for the fingers to comfortably and securely grasp the staff. (s488.sotho.staff.s.JPG) 9. SAf: Zulu. Spoon, before 1977. Wood, ht 22". Musee de l'Homme, Paris. Visona in the Zulu spoons she surveys writes it was used by a Nguni "elder," and she says has "sensuous sexual references" [a primitive observation]. As we have discussed, fertility was a giver of life, as food is. But also we have discussed more important significance of spoons, and one this large and beautiful was probably originally ordered carved for a particular woman as appreciation for her kindness and recognition of outstanding diplomacy in feasts. (s490.zulu.spoon.s.jpg) 10. SAf: Zimbabwe. Mask. Other info. unavailable. Perhaps Mashona or Ndebele (Matabele) secret society masqueraders. Common materials include cloth, beadwork, and other materials. Over half of the Zimbabwe population practice a form of Christianity, but 40% practice traditional religions. Bantu languages spoken are Shona and Ndebele (English is the official language of Zimbabwe), and some influence from the art of other Bantu speakers are obvious. 11. SAf: Zimbabwe. Masked Dancer. Perhaps Mashona or Ndebele (Matabele). Other info. unavailable. The designs and colors show a possible influence from the nearby Zulu, also Bantu speakers, and nearby Nguni beadwork is famous.

Cumulative - Favorites of Notable Museums (except where noted)

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12. NAf: Tassili, N' Ajjer Region, SE Algeria. Detail, Dancing Female Figure with Horns, 8000-6000 BC. Visona p. 28. The elaborate designs, horns, and smallness of surrounding dark figures indicate this is a very special female, perhaps a sacred being. The raised arms are a similar to those of the Egyptian c. 3600 figure, Visona p. 50. The many sculptures of a female "deity" found across Europe, one dated c. 30,000, have a few similarities to some African images. (1.28.tassili.fem.w-horn.s.JPG) 13. NAf: Tassili, N' Ajjer Region, Algeria. Rock painting (1.28.tassili.rock.ptg.af.s.JPG) 14. NAf: Ancient Egypt. Portrait-bust of Queen Nefertiti (Nofretete), 20th c. copy of 1360 B.C. original, at Tel el-Amarna. Nefertiti was a New Kingdom queen, and important wife of Akhenaton. (1.3.nefertiti1.s.jpg) 15. NAf: Ancient Egypt. Seated figure of King Ramses II. Black granite. Dynasty XIX., about 1250 B.C. Turan, Museo di Antichita (1.3.ramsesII.seated.s.JPG)

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16. NAf: Ancient Egypt. Colossal Statue of Akhenaten, from a temple of Aton, Karnak. Dyn. 18, Amarna Period, 1353-1335 BC. Sandstone, ht. 13'. Egyptian Museum, Cairo. Visona p. 58. Not a favorite of art history survey scholars, but this was chosen by Visona, and I agree. It shows a kinship with deeper African art. (1.58.akhenaten.s.JPG) 17. NAf: Ancient Egypt. Mask from Tomb of Tut-Ankh-Amun (Tutankhamun). New Kingdom, XVIIIth. Dyn. Visona p. 59, but this is from a better photograph, and shows the colors important to this work. Compair this with deeper African masks. (1.59.egy.tut.mask.s.JPG) 18. WAf: Dogon. Seated Couple, 19th c. or earlier. Wood and metal, ht. 25". Metro. Mus. of Art, NY Visona p. 135 (w5.dogon.couple.19c.s.JPG) 19. WAf: Senufo (Kelebele). Champion Cultivator's Staff, 20th c. or earlier. Wood, ht. 13 1/4". Musee Barbier-Mueller, Geneva. Visona p. 144 (w6.senufo.staff.s.JPG) 20. WAf: Yoruba, ife. Head of a Queen, 12-13th c. Pavement Period. Terracotta, ht. 9 1/6. Museum of Ife, ife. Visona p. 232 (w13.yor-ife.head-queen.s.JPG) 21. WAf: Olowe of Ise, Divination Bowl, c. 1925. Wood and pigment, 25 1/16". Natl. Mus. of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Wash. DC. Visona p. 249 (w14.olowe.bowl.s.JPG)

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22. WAf: Benin. Head of a Queen Mother, Late Period (18th-19th c.). Brass and iron, ht. 21". Detroit Institute of Arts. Visona p. 322 (wbenin.head-queen.s.jpg) 23. WAf: Baule. Male Figure ("Ancestor Figure"). Ht. 20.5", British Mus. It is figures like this that have made Baule carvings famous. Willett and the British Museum identify this as a ancestor figure, which could include a diviner's helper spirit. But, it's beauty, and clean surface, suggest it might have been a spirit husband (blolo bian). (w23.w.baule.male.fig.s.jpg) 24. WAf: Ife. Portrait of a King, 11-12th c."Bronze" (brass), H.12 in. National Mus. of Nigeria. Similar Visona p. 233 (w26.yor.ife.king.11c.s.gif) 25. WAf: Chockwe. Mwana Pwo Mask. Hamill Gallery. Mwana Pwo represent ideal young female beauty. Most have facial scarification patterns, filed teeth, fanciful and inventive hairstyles, tear motifs and cruciform markings on the forehead. They are danced to bring fertilitry and prosperity to the community. Altho. in Angola SA, Visona considers Chockwe style within the defunct Lunda Empire of "western" Africa. Read Visona, p. 379-85 (w30.chokwe.pwo.mask.s.JPG)

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26. CAf: Cross River region, Ekoi or Ejagham people. "Ikem" Crest Mask. Prv. Coll. Image © John Urban. These are danced in ceremonies by certain societies. The mask is worn on top of the head, held by a basket and chin strap, for an imposing effect. Materials are often skin, teeth, bone, pigment, basketry, metal etc. Willett writes "these masks seem to have originated among the Ekoi or Ejagham," but are now used by other area peoples. At the Proctor Gallery masks like this sell for close to $10,000. (336.cross-r.crest.mask.s.jpg) 27. CAf: BaKota/Kota, Gabon. Reliquary Figure. Wood, brass, copper, ht 30 1/4". Volkerkunde Museum Der Universitat, Zurich. Visona p. 359. The Bakota guardians, "mwete" (Visona: "Mbulu-Ngulu"), are flat, more abstracted, with their oval, concave faces sheathed in metal (brass or copper). Stylized coiffures and occasional repousee work adorn the "legged head" figures (A diamond shape below the neck is an abstracted body form.) which gleamed at night to protect against evil. These figures were mounted on containers holding relics of important clan ancestors, serving as guardians. They were also questioned as oracles. (359.kota.rel-fig.s.JPG) 28. CAf: Chokwe. Chihongo Mask. Royal Museum of Central Africa, Tervuren. Chihongo roughly translates as "spirit of wealth." Chokwe male masks, Chihongo, depicting a powerful and wealthy man, are identified by the horizontal crescent-shape, ridge-like beard. They are danced with the Mwana Pwo to bring fertilitry and prosperity to the community. As Visona points out, these are the most popular and best-known entertainment. (384.chockwe.chihongo.s.JPG) 29. CAf: Kuba. Ndop (Royal Portrait Figure) for Shyaam AMbul A-Ngong. 18th c. Wood, ht 21 3/8. The British Mus., London. Visona p. 397. Portrait figures like this, were not just a portrait, but the soul double of the king. Some say upon death the life force and kingship passed to the ndop. The figure was an important memorial to the people, until "acquired" by the British. (397.kuba.ndop.s.JPG) 30. CAf: Kuba, Ngaady A Mwaash mask. Zaire. This mask, covered with geometric designs typical of Kuba art, is one of many designs that portrays the wife of the first Kuba king in a ritualized reenactment of Kuba mythological origins and royal power struggles. A Kuba ideal of beauty, Ngaady A Mwaash was fought over by Mwaash A Mboy, her husband and king, and his brother, Bwoom. As Visona points out the mask represents the essence of womanhood and the diagional lines below the eyes represent tears for the hardships of women. (404.kuba.ngaady.mask.s.jpg)

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31. CAf: BaLuba. Statue of a female ancestor. Ht 17.5". British Mus. Willett p. 25. "The rounded and smooth forms are typical of most BaLuba sculptures." These are considered some of the most beautiful sculpture of Africa. What appeals to the Western taste is naturalism with smooth lines, abstraction of non-essential parts (fingers, etc.), a polished finish, serene expression, and historical scarification patterns. Oddly, Visona does not provide good Luba examples. (414.luba.fem-ances.s.JPG) 32. CAf: Songye, Kifwebe mask. Zaire. © John Urban. Songye Kifwebe masks, are known for their distinctive exaggerated forms and aggressive strength. The striated facial forms are dynamic, with projecting mouths, noses and crests symbolizing the level of power, or grade of the masked figure. Used by the secret men's society for social control and protection, they were danced at important funerals, visits and investitures. Female masks, more restrained and elegant, are usually painted white and lack the crest found on male Kifwebes. (423.songye.kif.mask.s.jpg)