African Art PDF

content Area: Africa, 1100-1980 c.E. Content African Art 27 TIME PERIOD: FROM PREHISTORIC TIMES TO THE PRESENT Some chiefAfrican civilizations include: Civilization...

content Area: Africa, 1100-1980 c.E. Content African Art 27 TIME PERIOD: FROM PREHISTORIC TIMES TO THE PRESENT Some chiefAfrican civilizations include: Civilization Time Period Location Great Zimbabwe 1lth-15th Centuries Zimbabwe Bamileke 11th-21st Centuries Cameroon Benin 13th-19th Centuries Nigeria Luba 16th-21st Centuries Congo Kuba 17th-19th Centuries Congo Ashanti 17th-21st Centuries Ghana Chokwe 17th-21st Centuries Congo Yoruba 17th-21st Centuries Nigeria Baule 19th-21st Centuries Côte d'Ivoire Igbo 19th-21st Centuries Nigeria Fang 19th-21st Centuries Cameroon, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea Mende 19th-21st Centuries Sierra Leone ENDURING UNDERSTANDING: Art making is in uenced by available materials and processes. LearningObjective: Discuss how material, processes, and techniques in uence the making of a work of art. (For example: Bundu mask) Essential Knowledge: African art is seen as a combination of the work of art itself in the context of events, media, and ceremonies. There is a wide variety of materials used in African art. ENDURINGUNDERSTANDING: The culture, beliefs, and physical settings ofa region play an important role in the creation, subject matter, and siting of works of art. LearningObjective: Discuss how the culture, beliefs, or physical setting can in uence the making of a work of art. (For example: Lukasa (memory board)) Essential Knowledge: Human life began in Africa. African art makes its rst appearance around 77,000 years ago. Rock art is the earliest form of African art. Animals are depicted most often. The Saharawas once a vastgrassland. AFRICAN ART 499 Created with Scanner Pro fi fl fl fl  African art is often rooted in belief systems and ideas. It is more concerned withthesnik e spiri tual and intellectual than the physical. African art is involved in important stagesof human life. Important civic and religious centers are often placed apart from placesthatinvoa herding or agriculture. ENDURING UNDERSTANDING: Cultural interaction through war, trade, andtravelcan in uence art and art making. Learning Objective: Discuss how works of art are in uenced by culturalinteraction. (Fr example: Aka elephant mask) Essential Knowledge: African art has been impacted by migration, world religions, and internationaltrade. For many years, African art has been thought of as primitive by the outsideworld.How: ever, African art is now understood as a vibrant series of artistic traditions. Contemporary African art understands artistic in uences from aroundtheworld. ENDURING UNDERSTANDING: Art and art making can be in uenced by a variety ofcon- cerns including audience, function, and patron. Learning Objective: Discuss how art can be in uenced by audience, function, and/orpatron. (For example: Mblo) Essential Knowledge: African art is participatory. The arts express beliefs and maintain social andhuman relationships. African works are meant to be used and performed rather than simply viewed. Art is created for everydayuse and important occasions. The object generallybelongsto the person who commissioned it. Performances are highly organized. When an artwork represents authority, it legitimizes a leader. African art is presented to audiences through song and dance for speci creasons. ENDURING UNDERSTANDING: Art history is best understood through anevolvingtradition of theories and interpretations. Learning Objective: Discuss how works of art have had an evolving interpretation basedon visual analysis and interdisciplinary evidence. (For example: Great Zimbabwe) Essential Knowledge: African art has been generally collected by outsiders. Generally, the artist's nameandthe date of creation are not known. Art history as a science is subject to differing interpretations and theories thatchange over time. African art has had a global impact. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND s pouec Despite the incredible vastness of the African continent, there are a number ofsimilaritiesin the way in which African artists create art, stemming from common beliefs theyshare. Africans believe that ancestors never die and can be addressed; hence a sense of familyand a respect for elders are key components of the African psyche. Many African sculpturesare representations of family ancestors and were carved to venerate their spirits. 500 AP ART HISTORY Created with Scanner Pro fl fl fl fl fl fi  Pertility, both of the individual and the land, is highly regarded. Spirits who inhabit the forests or are associated with natural phenomenon have to be respected and worshipped. Seulpturesof suckling mothers are extremely common; it is implied that everyone suckles from the breast of God. Great ancient civilizations in Nubia, Egypt, and Carthage dominated politics in North Africafor centuries before empires began to develop in southern Africa, or much of the rest ofthe world. African kingdoms came and went with regularity; more populous and dominant people occupied wide swaths of African territory. Strong indigenous states were established in ChristianAksum in present-day Ethiopia in the fourth century, and in the Luba Empire concentrated in central Africa beginning in the fteenth century. In the twelfth century an important center evolved in southern Africa on the Zimbabwe plateau. Whatever the location, African states developed strong cultural traditions yielding a great variety of artistic expression. African affairs were largely internal struggles because outsiders were held back by natu- ral barriers like the Sahara Desert and the Indian Ocean. However, by the fteenth century African politics became greatly complicated by Asian and European incursions on both the eastand west coasts of the continent. In general, outsiders restricted themselves to coastal areasthat afforded the most access to African goods, and few bothered with the interior of the continent. All this changed in the late nineteenth century when a large series of invasions calledthe Scramble for Africa divided the continent into colonies. The era of European control spanned less than a century. Most states achieved indepen- dencein the 1960s, with the Portuguese colonies waiting until the 1970s. Colonization brought African cultural affairs in direct contact with the rest of the world. Today African artists work both at home and abroad, using native and foreign materials, and marketing their work on a global scale. Patronage and Artistic Life Since traditional Africans rely on an oral tradition to record their history, African objects are unsigned and undated. Although artists were famous in their own communities and were sought after by princes, written records of artistic activity stem principally from European or Islamic explorers who happened to encounter artists in their African journeys. African artists worked on commission, often living with their patrons until the commis- sion was completed. The same apprenticeship training that was current in Europe was the standard in Africa as well. Moreover, Africans also had guilds that promoted their work and helped elevate the profession. As a rule, men were builders and carvers and were permitted to wear masks. Women painted walls and created ceramics. Both sexes were weavers. There were exceptions; for example, in Sierra Leone and Liberia women wore masks during important coming-of-age ceremonies. The most collectable African art originated in farming communities rather than among nomads, who desired portability. To that end, the more nomadic people of East Africa in Kenya and Tanzania produced a ne school of body art, and the more agricultural West Africans around Sierra Leone and Nigeria achieved greatness with bronze and wood sculpture. African art was imported into Europe during the Renaissance more as curiosities than as artistic objects. It was not until the early twentieth century that African art began to nd true acceptance in European artistic circles. AFRICAN ART 501 Created with Scanner Pro fi fi fi fi  AFRICAN ARCHITECTURE Traditional African architecture is built to be as cool and comfortable as a building couldoe get in the hot African sun, and therefore is made of mud-brick walls and thatched roofs.Whila mud brick is certainly easy and inexpensive to make, it has inherent problems. Allmud-brick buildings have to be meticulously maintained in the rainy season; otherwise, muchwould wash away. Nonetheless, Africans build huge structures of mud brick withhorizontallyplacet timbers as maintenance ladders. In a culture that generally eschews stonework, both in its architecture and itssculpture the royal complex at Zimbabwe (Figure 27.1) from the fourteenth century is mostunusual. The sophisticated handling of this type of masonry implies a long-standing tradition ofcon: struction of permanent materials, traces of which have all but been lost. Great Zimbabwe, Shona peoples (Southeastern Zimbabwe), c. 1000-1400, coursedgranite blocks, Zimbabwe (Figures 27. la and 27.1b) Form Walls: 800 feet long, 32 feet tall; 17 feet thick at base. Walls slope inward toward the top; made of exfoliated granite blocks. Function Zimbabwe was a prosperous trading center androyal complex; items from as far away as PersiaandChina have been found. Stone enclosure was probablya royalresidence. Context Zimbabwe derives fromn a Shona term meaning"ven- erated houses" or "houses of stone." Internal and externalpassagewaysaretightly bounded, narrow, and long: occupants areforced to walk in single le, paralleling experiencesinthe Figure 27.la: Conical tower of Great Zimbabwe, c. 1000-1400, African bush. coursed granite blocks, Zimbabwe The conical tower is modeled on traditionalshapes of grain silos; control over food symbolizedwealth, power, and royal largesse. The tower resembles a granary andrepresenteda good harvest and prosperity; grain gathered,stored, and dispensed as a symbol of royal power. Abandoned in the fteenth century probablybecause the surrounding area could no longer supply foodand there was extensive deforestation. ContentArea Africa, Image 167 Web Source http:/whc. unesco.org/en/list/364 Cross-Cultural Comparisons for Essay Question1: Ashlar Masonry Saqsa Waman (Figure 26.8c) Figures 27.lb: Circular wall of Great Zimbabwe Angkor Wat (Figure 23.8a) Pantheon (Figures 6.1la, 6.1 1b) 502 AP ART HISTORY Created with Scanner Pro fi fi  GreatMosque, founded c. 1200, rebuilt 1906–1907, adobe,Djenné, Mali (Figure 27.2) Form Threetall towers; center tower is a mihrab. Vertical uting drains water off the surfaces quickly. Materials Made of adobe, a baked mixture of clay and straw; adobehelps maintain cooler temperatures. Torons:wOodenbeams projecting from walls. ,Woodenbeams act as in-place ladders for the main- tenanceof the building. Function Largest mud-brick mosque in the world. Content Crowning ornaments have ostrich eggs, symbols of fertility and purity. Roofhasseveral holes with terra cotta lids to circu- Figure 27.2: Great Mosque, founded c. 1200, rebuilt 1906-1907, late air into the main room. adobe, Djenné, Mali Context Inhabited since 250B.C.E., Djenné became a market center and an important link in the trans-Saharan gold trade. Two thousand traditional houses survive, built on small hills to protect against seasonal oods. Once a year there is a community activity to repair the mosque called Crepissago de la Grand Mosquée. ContentArea Africa, Image l68 WebSource http:llwhc. unesco.orglen/listll16 Cross-Cultural Comparisons for Essay Question 1: Other Mosques - Great Mosque, Córdoba (Figures 9.14a, 9.14b, 9.14c)wi Mosque of Selim II (Figures 9.16a, 9.16b, 9.16c) - Great Mosque, Isfahan (Figures 9.13a, 9.13b, 9.13c) AFRICAN SCULPTURE Despitethe number of sculptural traditions in Africa, there are certain similarities. African art is basically portable. Large sculptures, the kind that grace the plazas of ancient Egypt or Rome, are unknown. Wood is the favorite material. Trees were honored and symbolically repaid for the branches taken from them. Ivory is used as a sign of rank or prestige. Metal shows strength and dura- bility, and is restricted to royalty. Stone is extremely rare. Figures are basically frontal, drawn full-face, with attention paid to the sides. Symmetry is occasionallyused, but more talented artists vary their approach on each side of the object. Africans did no preliminary sketches and worked directly on the wood. There is a certain stiffness to all African works. Heads are disproportionately large, sometimnes one-third of the whole gure. Sexual characteristics are also enlarged. Bodies are immature and small. Hands and feet are very small; ngers are rare. AFRICAN ART 503 Created with Scanner Pro fi fi fl fl  Multiple media are used. It is common to see wood sculptures adorned withfeath eathers fabric, or beads. African sculpture prefers geometrization of forms. It generally avoidsphysicalreal: eality representing the spirits in a more timeless world. Proportions are therefore manipulat Important sculpture is never created for decoration, but for a de nite purpose. Aican e masks are meant to be part of a costume that represents a spirit, and can only comealivewhes en ceremonies are initiated. Every mask has a purpose and represents a different spirit.Whe en the masks are worn in a ceremony, the spirit takes over the costumed dancer andhisidentiity remains unknown-every part of his body is hidden from view. Moved by the beatofadrum the masked dancer connects with the spirit world and can transmit messagestovillagers who are witnesses. BENIN Wall plaque, from Oba'spalace, Edo peoples, Kingdom of Benin (Nigeria), l6thcentury, cast brass, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (Figure 27.3a) Form and Content Hierarchical proportions: largest gure is the king. Symbols of high rank are emphasized. King is stepping on a fallen leader. Emphasis on heads; bodies are often small and immature. Ceremonial scene at court. Technique High-relief sculpture. Lost-wax process. Materials One of 900brass plaques produced, each between 16 and 18inches. Metal products are rare in Africa, making these objects extremelyvaluable. There was an active trade with the Portuguese for brass. Function It decoratedthewallsofthe royalpalaceinBenin. It was part of a sprawlingpalacecomplex; wooden pillarscoveredwithbrass plaques. Context Shows aspectsof court life in the Benin culture. Cross-culturalin uences: - Thehorse, an animal imported into Africa. Figure 27.3a: Wall plaque, from Oba's - Rosetteshapes inspired by Christian crosses from Europe. palace, Edo peoples, Kingdom of Benin (Nigeria), 16th century, cast May have been executed to re ect European books and prints thatwere brass, Metropolitan Museum of Art, available in Africa. New York Imported goods re ected status: i.e., the king wears necklaces ofcoral. The oba (king) was believed to be a direct descendant of Oranmiyan,theleg endary founder of the dynasty. Only the oba was allowed to be shielded in the way depicted on the plaque. ContentArea Africa, Image 169 Web Source http:/hwww.metmuseum.orglartlcollection/search/310752 504 AP ART HISTORY Created with Scanner Pro fi fi fl fl fl fi  Cross-Cultural Cros Comparisons for Essay Question 1: Bronze and Brass Work - Donatello, David (Figure 15.5) Great Buddha at Todai-ji (Figure 25.lb) Shivaas Lord of Dance (Figure 23.6) CONTEXTUAL IMAGE ThelateOba Akenzua II in full regalia, including a coral garment andheadpiece (Figure 27.3b) Context ,Coralisan important symbol of the identity of the oba, ruler of the land, with Olokun, ruler of the sea. Regaliare ects a continuous tradition of kingship and royal attire from the sixteenth century to the present. Figure 27.3b: The late Oba Akenzua ll in Photo dated December 24, 1964 full regalia, including a coral garment and ContentArea Africa, Image 169 headpiece ASHANTI GoldenStool (sika dwa kof), Ashanti peoples (south central Ghana) c.1700,gold over wood, and cast gold attachments, location unknown (Figure 27.4) Form Entire surface inlaid with gold. Bells hang from the side to warn the king of danger. Replicasoften used in ceremonies, but each replica is different. Function Symbol of the Ashanti nation, in Ghana. Figure 27.4: Golden Stool (sika dwa ko ), Ashanti peoples (south central Ghana) c. 1700, gold Containsthe soul of the nation. over wood, and cast gold attachments, location Never actually used as a stool; never allowed to touch the ground; it unknown is placed on a stool of its own. L According to Ashanti tradition, it was brought down from heaven by a priest and fell into the lap of the Ashanti king, Osei Tutu. It becamethe repository of the spirit of the nation; it is the symbol of the mystical bond among all Ashanti. Context A new king is raised over the stool. The stool is carried to the king on a pillow; he alone is allowed to touch it. Taken out on special occasions. War of the GoldenStool: March-September1900: Con ict over British sovereignty in Ghana (formerly the Gold Coast). A British representative who tried to sit on the stool caused an uproar and a subsequent rebellion. The war ended with British annexation and Ashanti de facto independence. ContentArea Africa, Image 170 Web Source https:llwww.britannica.com/topic/Golden-Stool Cross-Cultural Comparisons for Essay Question 1: Sacred Objects the Kaaba (Figure 9.1la) - Lanzón Stone (Figure 26.1b) - Gold and jade crown (Figure 24.10) AFRICAN ART 505 Created with Scanner Pro fl fi fl  KUBA Ndop (portrait gure) of King Mishe miShyaang maMbul, Kubapeoples, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 1760-1780, wood, BrooklynMuseum. Brooklyn, New York (Figure 27.5a) Form Characteristics ofa ndop: - Cross-leggedpose. - Sits on a base. - Epicenebody. Face seems uninvolved, above mortal affairs. A peace knife in his left hand. Royal regalia: bracelets, arm bands, belts, headdress. Function Ndop sculptures are commemorative portraits of Kuba rulers, presentedinan Figure 27.5a: Ndop (portrait ideal state. gure) of King Mishe miShyaang maMbul, Kuba peoples, Democratic Not an actual representation of adeceasedking but of his spirit. Republic of the Congo, 1760-1780, wood, Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, Made after thedeath of the king. New York Context Each king is commemorated by symbols on the base of the gure;thiskinghas a sword in his left hand in a nonaggressive pose, handle facing out. One of theearliestexistingAfrican wood sculptures; oldest ndop inexistence. Rubbed with oil to protect it from insects. Acted as a surrogate for the king in his absence. Kept in the king's shrine with other works called a set of "royal charms." ContentArea Africa, Image 171 Web Source https:lwww.brooklynmuseum.orglopencollectionlobjects/4791 Cross-Cultural Comparisons for Essay Question 1: Authority Figures - Houdon, GeorgeWashington (Figure 19.7) - Lindauer, Tamati Waka Nene (Figure 28.7) - Code of Hammurabi (Figures2.4a, 2.4b) CONTEXTUAL IMAGE Kuba Nyim (ruler) Kot a Mbweeky III in state dress with royal drum in Mushenge, Democratic Republic of the Congo (Figure 27.5b) Form Photo of aKubaking enthronedwearing royalregalia: Headdress. Necklace of leopard teeth. Sword. - Lance. Drums of reign. Basket. Figure 27.5b: Kuba Nyim (ruler) Kot Photo made in 1971, capturing a royal event. a Mbweeky IIl in state dress with royal drum in Mushenge, Democratic Costuming extremely elaborate; could weigh 185 pounds; kingneededhelp Republic of the Congo to move. 506 AP ART HISTORY Created with Scanner Pro fi fi fi  Contert Costuming represents the splendor of king's court, his greatness, and his responsibilities. Sumbolizes the king's wealth, status, power. Kubataste of accumulation of objects.. Continuous tradition of honoring a Kuba king. Ruleroften buried with the material after his death. ContentArea Africa, Image 171 KONGO Power gure (Nkisi n'kond), Kongo peoples, Democratic Republic of the Congo, c. late 19thcentury, wood and metal, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (Figure 27.6) Form Alertpose. Rigidfrontality. Arms akimbo, in an aggressive stance. Wearsa headdress worn by chiefs or priests. Nailsare pounded into the gure. Function and Context Figure 27.6: Power gure Spirits are embedded in the images. (Nkisi n'kond), Kongo peoples, Democratic Spirits can be called upon to bless or harm others, cause death or give life. Republic of the Congo, c. In order to prod the image into action, nails and bladesare often inserted into the late 19th century, wood and metal, Metropolitan Museum work or removed from it. of Art, New York Medical properties are inserted into the body cavity, thought to be a person's life or soul. The gure has a role as a witness and enforcer of community affairs. The gure also cautions people on theconsequencesof actions contrary to community norms. Content Area Africa, Image 172 Web Source http:l/metmuseum.orglartlcollection/search/320053 Cross-Cultural Comparisons for Essay Question 1: Wood Sculpture Röttgen Pietà (Figure 12.7) - Transformation mask (Figures 26.12a, 26.12b) - Nio guardian gure (Figures 25.lc, 25.ld) BAULE Portrait mask (Mblo), Baule peoples (Côte d'Ivoire), early 20th century, wood and pigment (Figure 27.7) Form Broad forehead, pronounced downcast eyesockets, column-shaped nose: features associated with intellect and respect. Quiet faces; introspective look; peaceful face; meditative; eyebrows in an arch. Function Figure 27.7: Portrait mask (Mblo), Baule peoples Presented at Mblo performances in which an individual is honored with ritual dances; (Côte d'lvoire), early 20th tributes are performed in his or her honor. century, wood and pigment AFRICAN ART 507 Created with Scanner Pro fi fi fi fi fi fi  The dancer who wears the mask and wears the clothes of the person for theperforman is accompanied by the actual person in the performance. The honoreereceivesa mask-an artistic double of the perSon--as agift. Context The masks are commissioned by a group of admirers, not by an individual; thisonewa made by the artist Owie Kimou. The masksare an idealized representation of a real person. This is the idealized representation of MoyaYanso. From theIvoryCoast. ContentArea Africa, Image 174 Web Source http:l/metmuseum.orgartcollection/search/319512 Cross-Cultural Comparisons forEssay Question 1: Commemoration - Rivera, Dreamof a SundayAfternoon on the Alameda Park (Figure22.20) - Lin, Vietnam Veterans Memorial (Figures29.4a, 29.4b) - Olmec-style mask (Figure26.5d) CHOKWE Female (Pwo) mask, Chokwe peoples, Democratic Republic of theCongo,late 19th to early 20th century, wood, ber, pigment, and metal, NationalMuseumof African Art, Washington, D.C. (Figure 27.8) Form Characteristics: Enlarged eye sockets. Pushed-in chin. - Slendernose. High forehead. Figure 27.8: Female (Pwo) mask, Balanced features. Chokwe peoples, Democratic Republic of the Congo, late - Almost-closedeyes. 19th to early 20th century, Content wood, ber, pigment, and metal, National Museum of African Art, Marks around the eyes may suggest tears; scari cation marks includingcosmo- Washington, D.C. gram on forehead. White powder around the eyes connects the gure toa spiritual realm. Function These are female masks used by men in ritual dances. Male dancers are covered with their identities masked; they are dressed aswomenwith braided hair. During the ritual, men move like women. Depicts female ancestors. Context Chokwe, a matriarchal society. The mask is discarded when not in use and can be buried with the dancer. ContentArea Africa, Image 173 Web Source http:/mnetmuseum.org/exhibitions/viewtexhibitionld=%7B3836826F-b523- bac3-dacb7ld75b5c%7D&oid=320516 508 AP ART HISTORY Created with Scanner Pro fi fi fi fi  Cross-Cultural Comnparisons for Essay Question 1: Faces Head of a Roman patrician (Figure 6.14) Transformation mask (Figures 26.12a, 26.12b) - Lindauer, Tamati Waka Nene (Figure 28.7) MENDE Bundumask, Sande society, Mende peoples (West African forests of Sierra Leone andLiberia), 19th to early 20th century, wood, cloth, and ber, private collection (Figure 27.9a) Form ldealized female beauty, both physically and morally: - Elaborate hairstyle symbolizes wealth; worn by women of status. - High forehead indicates wisdom. - Smalleyes in the shape of slits: she should be demure. - Tight-lipped mouth, symbolizing secrets not revealed. - Smallears: avoids gossip. Rings around the neck symbolize concentric waves from which the water spirit, Figure 27.9a: Bundu mask, Sowei, breaks through the surface; also symbolizes the fat associated with a Sande society, Mende peoples pregnant body. (West African forests of Sierra Leone and Liberia), 19th to 20th Small horizontal features. century, wood, cloth, and ber, Function private collection Used for initiation rites to adulthood. Used by the elder women of the Sandesociety, a group of women who prepare girls for adulthood and their role in society. Mask rests on woman's head; head is not placed inside the mask. Mask is coated with palm oil for a lustrous effect; it has a shiny black surface. Black color symbolizes water, coolness, and humanity. Context Only African wooden masks that are worn by women. Costumed women wear a black gown made of raf a that hides the body. Figure 27.9b: Bundu masks worn in a ceremony Costumed as a Sowei, the female water spirit. Femaleancestorspirits. Symbolic of the chrysalis of a butter y; young woman entering puberty. Individuality of each mask isstressed. ContentArea Africa, Image 175 Web Source www.mnetmuseum.orglartlcollection/search/313757 CONTEXTUAL IMAGE Bundumasks worn in a ceremony (Figure 27.9b) Cross-Cultural Comparisons for Essay Question 1: Art as Part of a Performance - Presentation of Fijian mats and tapa cloths to Queen Elizabeth II (Figure 28.10) - Viola, The Crossing (Figures 29.18a, 29.18b) Plaque of the Ergastines (Figure 4.5) AFRICAN ART s09 Created with Scanner Pro fi fi fi fl  IGBO a). c. 19th to 20th century, wood,Brooklv Ikenga (shrine gure), Igbo peoples (Nigeria), c. 19th to 20th century Museum, Brooklyn, New York (Figure 27.10) Function and Content Ikenga means "strong right arm" and thus physicalprowess. sacri ces oa ductsrituals, It honorstherighthand,whichholdstoolsorweapons,makes and alerts to speak at public forums. cy. Ikenga embracestraditional masculineassociationsof strength andpoten Oftena mix ofhuman, animal, and abstractformns. Carved from hardwoods, considered masculine. ank. It tells oftheowner'smorality,prosperity,achievements,genealogy,andsocialranl Context Enormous horns symbolize power. Requiresblessings before use; consecrated with offerings before kinsmen version. As the manachievesmoresuccess,he mightcommissiona more elaboratev thercan It ismaintainedin theman'shome and isdestroyedwhen theownerdies;anothe reuse it if notdestroyed. Figure 27.10: Ikenga ContentArea Africa, Image 176 (shrine gure), lgbo peoples (Nigeria), c. WebSource https:llwww.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollectionlobjects/101836 19th-2Oth century, Cross-CulturalComparisonsforEssayQuestion l: Sculpturein theRound wood, Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, - Kneelingstatue ofHatshepsut(Figure3.9b) New York Rodin, TheBurghersof Calais (Figure21.15) - Abakanowicz,AndrogyneIII(Figure29.7) LUBA Lukasa (memory board), Mbudye Society, Luba peoples, Democratic Republic ofthe Congo, c. 19th to 20th century, wood, beads, and metal, Brooklyn Museum,Brooklyn, New York (Figures27.1 la and 27.11lb) Form Carved from wood in an hourglassshapeand adorned with beads, shells, or metal. Back, expressed by Luba people as the"outside, resembles the shell of a turtle. Function Court historian who serves as reader of thememoy board holds the lukasa in his left handandgentiy touches the beads that he will discusswithhisrint index nger. Ability to read the board is limited to afewpeople. u Memory board helps the user rememberkeyele- ments in a story; for example: Figure 27.1la: Lukasa (memory board), Mbudye Society,. - Courtceremonies. Luba peoples, Democratic Republic of the Congo, c. Figure 2711b: Court historian - Migrations. 19th-2Oth century, wood, beads, using Lukasa (memory board) Heroes. and metal, Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, New York Kinship. Genealogy. - Lists ofkings. 510 AP ART HISTORY Created with Scanner Pro fi fi fi fi  Contert Cachboard's design is unique and represents the divine revelations of a spirit medium expressedin sculptural form. Memoryboards Me are controlled by the Mbudye, a council of men and women who interpret thepolitical and historical aspects of Luba society. Joomorphic elements represented by the turtle, an animal that lives on both land and water;the dual nature of the turtle is a metaphor for the Luba people's political orga- nizationas founded by two distinctly opposed embodiments of power: Kongolo Mwamba,avatar of all excess and tyranny, and Mbidi Kiluwe, sophisticated cultural herowho introduced royal culture to the Luba people. Readingexample: - One colored bead can stand for an individual. - Large beads surrounded by smaller beads can signify a ruler and his court. Lines of beads are journeys or paths, migrations or genealogies. Content Area Africa, Image 177 WebSource https:llwww.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollectionlobjects/1022 10 CONTEXTUAL IMAGE Court historian using lukasa (memory board) (Figure 27.1 1b) BAMILEKE Akaelephant mask, Cameroon (western grasslands region), c. 19th to 20th century, wood,woven raf a, cloth, and beads (Figures 27.12a and 27.12b) Form The mask has the features of an elephant: long trunk, large ears (symbolizing strength and power). Figure 27.12a: Aka elephant mask, Cameroon (western The mask ts over the head and two folds hang down in front (symbolizing the trunk) grass elds region), and behind the body. c. 19th-20th century, wood, woven raf a, cloth, and Human face. beads Materials Beadwork on a fabric backing; beadwork is a symbol of power. Lavish use of colored beads and cowrie shells displays the wealth ofthe members of the men's Kuosi society; the colors and patterns expressthe society's cosmic and political functions. Function Elite Kuosi masking society owns and wears the masks; worn on important ceremonial occasions. Only important people in society can own and wear an elephant mask. Context Performance art: maskers dance barefoot to a drum and gong; they wave spears and horsetails. ContentArea Africa, Image 178 Figure 27.12b: Men wearing aka elephant masks Web Source www.metmuseum.orglart/collection/search/314264 during a ceremony AFRICAN ART 511 Created with Scanner Pro fi fi fi fi  CONTEXTUAL IMAGE Men wearing aka elephant masks during a ceremony (Figure 27.12b) Cross-Cultural Comparisons for Essay Question 1: Spiritual World Bernini, Ecstasy of Saint Teresa(Figures 17.4a, 17.4b) Staff god (Figures 28.5a, 28.5b) e Kneeling statue of Hatshepsut (Figure 3.9b) FANG Reliquary gure (byeri), Fang peoples (southern Cameroon), c. 19thto20thcentury wood, Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, New York (Figure 27.13) Form Feet dangling over the rim, a gesture of protecting the contents. Prominent belly button and genitals emphasize life; the prayerfulgestureandsom. ber look emphasize death. = Emphasis on the head and the tubular nature of the body. Function Such gures were placed on top of cylinder-like containers made ofbarkthatheld skulls and other bones of important clan leaders. The reliquary gure guards the head box against the gaze of women oryoung boys. Context Figure 27.13: Reliquary The surfaceswere ritually rubbed with oils to add luster and protectagainst insects gure (yeri), Fang peoples Byeri gures are composed of characteristics the Fang people place a highvalueon: (southern Cameroon), c. 19th-20th century, wood, tranquility, introspection, and vitality. Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, New York The Fangpeople were nomadic; these gures were made to beportable. The abstraction of the human body is an attraction for theearly-twentieth-century artists. ContentArea Africa, Image 179 Web Source https:/lwww.brooklynmuseum. orglopencollectionlobjectsl4755 Cross-Cultural Comparisons for Essay Question 1: Male Figure - Apollo from Veii (Figure5.5) - Donatello, David(Figure l5.5) - Nio guardian gure (Figures 25.lc, 25.1d) YORUBA Veranda post of enthroned king and senior wife (Opo Ogoga), Olowe ofIse(Yoruba peoples), 1910-1914, wood and pigment, Art Institute of Chicago,Chicago,Ilinois (Figure 27.14) Form Woodensculpture with tall vertical emphasis. Complicated and elaborate use of negative space. Negative space creates an openness in the composition. Most veranda posts were painted; this work has traces of paint remaining. Figure 2714: Veranda post of enthroned king and senior wife Function (Opo Ogoga), Olowe of lse ia. Olowe of Ise carved veranda posts for the rulers of the Ekiti-Yoruba kingdom inNgent (Yoruba peoples),1910-1914, wOod and pigmnent, Art Institute One of four carved for the palace at Ikere, Nigeria. of Chicago, Chicago, llinois 512 AP ART HISTORY Created with Scanner Pro fi fi fi fi fi fi fi  Context The king is the focal point between himself and others represented on the post. Behind the king, his large-scale senior wife supports the throne. she crowns the king during the coronation; protects him during his reign. Thesmaller gures include his junior wife; his ute player, Eshu, the trickster god; and a gure of a fan bearer now missing. ContentArea Africa, Image l180 WohSource http:llwww.artic.eduwaiclcollectionslartwork/102611?search_no=1&index-0 , Cross-Cultural Comparisons for Essay Question 1: Multi-Figure Sculptures Helios, horses, and Dionysos (Figure 4.4) - Rodin, The Burghers of Calais (Figure 21.15) King Menkaura and queen (Figure 3.7) VOCABULARY Adobe:a building material made from earth, straw, or clay dried in the sun (Figure 27.2) Aka:an elephant mask of the Bamileke people of Cameroon (Figure 27.12a) Byeri: in the art of the Fang people, a reliquary guardian gure (Figure 27.13) Bundu:masks used by the women's Sande society to bring girls into puberty (Figure 27.9a) Cire perdue: the lost wax process. A bronze casting method in which a gure is modeled in clay and covered with wax and then recovered with clay. When red in a kiln, the wax melts away, leaving a channel between the two layers of clay which can be used as a mold for liquid metal (Figure 27.3a) Fetish: an object believed to possess magical powers Ikenga: a shrine gure symbolizing traditional male attributes of the Igbo people (Figure 27.10) Lukasa: a memory board used by the Luba people of central Africa (Figure 27.11) Mblo: a commemorative portrait of the Baule people (Figure 27.7) Ndop: a Kuba commemorative portrait of a king in an ideal state (Figure 27.5a) Nkisi n'kondi: a Kongo power gure (Figure 27.6) Pwo: a female mask worn by women of the Chokwe people (Figure 27.8) Scari cation: scarring of the skin in patterns by cutting with a knife: when the cut heals, a raised pattern is created, which is painted Torons: wooden beams projecting from walls of adobe buildings (Figure 27.2) SUMMARY African artists operated under the same general conditions of artists everywhere learning their craft in a period of apprenticeship, working on commission from the powerful and politi- cally connected, and achieving a measure of international fame. However, because African artists relied on the oral tradition, little written documentation of their achievements has been recorded. Africans achieved great distinction in the carving of masks, both in wood and metal. Costumed dancers don the mask and assume the powers of the spirit that it represents. The role of the mask, therefore, indeed the role of African art, is never merely decorative, but func- tional and spiritual; works are imbued with powers that are symbolically much greater than the merely visible representation. AFRICAN ART 513 Created with Scanner Pro fi fi fi fi fi fi fl fi fi  PRACTICE EXERCISES Multiple-Choice Questions 1-3 refer to the image below. 1. The function of the complex at Great Zimbabwe included (A) a storehouse for grain used for dispersal in times of need (B) amilitary fortress used to keep invaders out (C) a religious center meant to represent a Christian presence in Africa (D) a trading center with a stock and currency exchange 2. Visitors who entered Great Zimbabwe were meant (A) to be left with the feeling that they were in a major city and transportationhub (B) to be impressed that this was the center of manufacturing and industry (C) to admire the impressive and extensive use of stone in a part of theworldthat specialized in more perishable types of construction (D) to admire the painted friezes depicting the military exploits of theking 3. The stone walls of Great Zimbabwe exemplify the Southern African architectural practices of (A) using ashlar masonry to create force-dependent structures (B) making the stones from mud-backed bricks, similar to adobe construction (C) spanning large interior spaces with great arches (D) employing ying buttresses to support the massive walls 4. Pwo masks and Bundumasks are similar in that they both are (A) honoring women with an idealized representation (B) representations of an actual woman, and the rituals portray events fromherlite (C) worn by women in actual ceremonies (D) representations of the spirit of a deceased female ancestor 514 AP ART HISTORY Created with Scanner Pro fl  The power of Nkisi n'kondi gures is activated by 5 (A) nailing blades into the surface of a gure (B) carrying a gure in a procession around a village square (C) "marrying" the image to a second power gure (D) masking the gure to allow its powers to work unseen Long Essay Practice Question 1: Comparison SuggestedTime: 35 minutes Thiswork is a Pwo mask from the Congo created in the early twentieth century. Selectand completely identify another work of art that was worn as a mask. Bothmasks were worn in ceremonies. Describe the purpose of each ceremony. In addition to the masks, what other materials were used in the ceremony? Analyzehow the forms of both masks were meant to enhance the meaning of the ceremony. Howdo the masks differ in function? Malagan mask Transformation mask Buk (mask) AFRICAN ART 515 Created with Scanner Pro fi fi fi fi fi  ANSWER KEY 4. A 5. A 1. A 2. C 3. A ANSWERS EXPLAINED Multiple-Choice 1. (A) Christianitywas unknown in this part of Africa at this time.AlthoughZirs Owewas an important trading center, the modern concept of a stock and currer Chang was unknown. Leaders controlled the food supply as a symbol ofpower. 1ilture, making this complexadmi. 2. (C) Stone buildings are rare in traditional African culture, making this coe rable from botharchitectural andengineeringpoints of view. 3. (A) No mortar is used in the construction of GreatZimbabwe;therefore.it is ea eof ashlar masonry. ancestors: Both masks honor women. The Pwo mask is worn by men to honorfemaleanca 4. (A) the Bundu mask honors young women on the road to adulthood. 5. (A) The power gure is activated by nailing blades into the surface. Long Essay Rubric For the Pwo mask, answers couldinclude: Task Point Value Select and completely identify another work of art that was worn as a mask. Female masks are used by men in ritualdances. 1 point for Both masks were Male dancers are covered with theiridentities worn in ceremonies. Pwo mask masked, dressed as women with braidedhait. Describe the purpose It's a ritual in which men movelikewomen. of each ceremony. The ritual depictsfemaleancestors. In addition to the 1 point for Dance. masks,what other Pwo mask Music. materials were used Costumes. in the ceremony? Analyze how the 1 point for Chokwe, a matriarchal society. forms of both masks Pwo mask It depictsfemaleancestorswithparticular characteristics: enlarged eye sockets, pushed-ln were meant to enhance the meaning chin, slender nose, high forehead, balanced of the ceremony. features, almost-closed eyes. See How do the masks 1 Response depends on the other mask chosen. differ in function? the following. 516 AP ART HISTORY Created with Scanner Pro fi  For the Malagan, Transformation, Task Point Value and Buk masks, answers could include: select and completely 1; two Malagan mask: identify another work identi ers New Ireland Province of PapuaNewGuinea, of art that was worn are needed c. 20th century, wood, gment, ber and shell. as a mask. to earn a Transformation mask: point Kwakwaha'wakw, Northwest Coast of Canada, late 19th century, wood, paint, and string. Buk mask: Torres Strait, mid- to late 19th century, turtle shell, wood, ber, feathers, and shell. Both masks were 1 point for Malagan mask: worn in ceremonies. each work Malagan ceremonies send the souls of the Describe the purpose deceased on their way to the otherworld. ofeach ceremony. Transformation mask: Although these masks could be used at a potlatch, most often they were used in winter initiation rites ceremonies. Opening the mask reveals the face of an ancestor; there is an ancestral element to the ceremony. Buk mask: Ceremonies could involve initiation, funerary rites, and ensuring a good harvest. In addition to the 1 point for Malagan mask: masks, what other each work Dance. materials were used in Music. the ceremony? Costumes. Chanting. Ceremonies take place in a purpose-built structure. Transformation mask: Drumming. Costumes. Ceremony takes place in a "big house." Buk mask: Fire. Drumming. Chanting. Grass costumes. AFRICAN ART 517 Created with Scanner Pro fi fi fi fi  For the Malagan, Transformation, Task Point Value and Buk masks, answers could include: Analyze how the 1 point for Malagan mask: forms of both masks each work Masks are extremely intricate in theircarving. were meant to Mask indicates the relationship of aparticular enhance the meaning deceased person to a clan and to livingmembers of the ceremony. of the family. Large haircomb re ects a hairstyle of thetime. but masks are not physical portraits, onlyportraits of the soul. Painted black, yellow, and red: importantcolors denoting violence, war, and magic. Transformation mask: During a ritual performance, the weareropensand closes the transformation mask usingstrings. Bird exterior opens to reveal a human faceonthe interior. At the moment oftransformation,the performer turns his back to the audience toconcealthe action and heighten the mystery. Buk mask: Masks combine human and animalforms. Turtle shell is peculiar to this region andmayhave had symbolic overtones. Human face may represent a culturalheroor ancestor. How do the masks 1 Response depends on the masks chosen;however, differ in function? differences can be noted in the purpose ofthe ceremony and therefore the mask. 518 AP ART HISTORY Created with Scanner Pro fl