Art in Sub-Saharan Africa
This Web page has materials related to art in Sub-Saharan Africa. Doing research on African art presents a challenge because there are not a lot of materials available in the United States specifically about African art. Exhibition catalogs are a recommended way to find descriptions of artworks.
Art Reference Books | Books | Identify Articles | Journals | Sub-Saharan Art on the Web (Democratic Republic of Congo)
Art Reference Books
Africa. GT 1580 .G74 2003 Reference
This is an anthropological book, but the information about the cultures will be helpful to the researcher interested in art. Items can thereby be described in terms of their context within the culture.
Art: A World History. N 5300 .A69513 1998 Reference
See: Classical Art of Sub-Saharan Africa (p. 182ff) and Artistic Cultures of Sub-Saharan Africa (p. 550ff)
Arts of Africa: 7000 Years of African Art. N 7380.5 .A783 2005 Reference
Major categories are: ancient art (Nigeria, Dogon sculpture); ivories; traditional; between fin-de-siecle and the roaring twenties; and ethnic groups (see map on page 404 for location). There is a bibliography.
Dictionary of Art. 34 vols. N 31 .D5 1996 Reference. Online link Oxford Art Online available to CSU affiliates.
The major book on art. Extensive entries, most with bibliographies. Search online by keyword or browse by article title, contributor, or index. Look up country or group. Online search includes articles from The Oxford Companion to Western Art (listed below), so be sure to cite carefully. Look up the name of the specific country of interest for background information and kinds of artwork produced. Search for images from collections, too. Highly recommended.
Encyclopedia of World Art. 15 vols. N 31 .E533 Reference
See Vol. 1 for Africa and regions thereof; look up individual countries (as existed in 1959) in volumes alphabetically (e.g. Nigeria in Vol. 10).
Facts on File Encyclopedia of Art. 5 vols. N 31 .F33 2005 Reference
See Vol. 5 (ch. 54) for South African Art and Vol. 3 (ch. 27) for African Art.
The Oxford Companion to Western Art. N 33 .O923 2001 Reference
Comprehensive entries on artists, movements, museums, methods, materials (e.g. chalk), eras, etc. As an example, the entry on perspective has 41 explanatory or example figures. Search online in Dictionary of Art (above). Focus is on Western art, but descriptions of techniques, materials, and methods should be relevant to African art.
St. James Guide to Black Artists. N 40 .S78 1997 Reference
Most of the listed artists are American, but there are African artists, found by country in the nationality index (e.g. Ivory Coast, Nigerian). There is a selected bibliography (see listing for African).
Symbols of Africa (Symbole Afrikas). GN 645 .O8813 2000 Reference
Most of the 5000+ tribes of Africa believed that all beings, plants, and objects were (and sometimes still are) inhabited by an energy or spirit that healers and sorcerers could invoke. This spiritual view of the world is vividly expressed in Africa's art. Here are line drawings of more than 300 symbols of their beliefs, as shown in the sculpture and masks of Western and Central Africa, the stylized ornaments of North Africa and the Sahel zone, the clothing, jewelry, and hairpieces of nomadic East Africa, and objects of South Africa. [From the publisher, edited down.]
Books
Identify books on sub-saharan art in general (and specific kinds) in the library catalog, Discovery. In many cases, it will be necessary to do research on the people who make the art--and their social life, customs, and culture--to find material about their art. Identify additional titles in the Regional Catalog Prospector, the Colorado Union Catalog. CSU affiliates may request items from Prospector (but must establish a PIN in SAGE first). Search the following terms using a Subject search; be sure to look at the subdivisions as well, when available. Some of the subjects below have only one or two books about them at CSU.
| Abron (African people) Akan African People Art African Art African 20th Century Art African Catalogs Art African Exhibitions Art African History Art Black Zaire [Congo] Art Nigerian Nigeria Nsukka (1 + 1) Art Senufo (1) Art South African 20th Century Art Yoruba Art, African – Catalogs Art, Ghanaian (1 title) Art, Lobi (1) Art, Nigerian, Exhibitions (2) Ashanti — Ghana Ashanti (African people) Ashanti (African people) -- Social life and customs. Bambara African People Baule African People Congo (Democratic Republic) -- Social life and customs Congo Democratic Republic In Art Dogon African People |
Fanti (African people) |
Search for a specific artist by doing both an author search (last name first) and subject search (also last name first); there may be overlap, but do both to make sure nothing is missed; look at subdivision titles as well (e.g. [artist] criticism and interpretation):
Ennadre, Touhami
Specific books of interest (these are in circulating and non-circulating collections; be sure to check the library catalog for availability; if checked out, see if there is a Prospector copy available [CSU affiliates only]; if in Special Collections, a visit when Archives is open is in order):
- Africa: The Art of a Continent. N7380 .A32 1995 Morgan. Entire continent surveyed, without contemporary art.
- African Art (Willett). N7380 .W5 2002 Morgan
- African Art and Leadership. N7398 .A35 1972A Morgan
- African Art in Motion: Icon and Act: Catalog of an Exhibition. NX 588.75 T47 1974 Morgan. Sub-Saharan art.
- Art of Africa: Treasures from the Congo. Art de l'Afrique noire au pays du fleuve Zaire. English. N7399.C6 C613 Special Oversize
- Contemporary African Art. N7380 .K37 2000 Morgan. Surveys last 50 years.
- From Ritual to Art: The Aesthetics and Cultural Relevance of Igbo Satire. GR351.32.I34 O53 2003 Morgan
- Hair in African Art and Culture. GT2295.A35 H355 2000 Morgan
- A History of Art in Africa. N7380 .H54 2001 Morgan
- Looking Both Ways: Art of the Contemporary African Diaspora. N6487.N36 L66 2003 Morgan
- Masques Dogon. GN2 .P2 no.33 Storage
- Primitivism and Twentieth-Century Art: A Documentary History. N72.P68 P75 2003 Morgan
- The Tribal Arts of Africa. N7380 .B32 1998 Morgan. Sub-Saharan Africa into 49 cultural areas.
- The Visual Arts of Africa: Gender, Power, and Life Cycle Rituals. N7391.65 .P47 1998 Morgan
Identify Articles
Use the following indexes/databases to identify articles by topic, for example, about an artist. Search for articles about a specific artist by the artist's name (leave out his or her country, century, etc.; adding unnecessary terms will only harm your search). Search for art from a specific country. For example: "Mali and art." JSTOR is full text for items at least 3-5 years old; check FindIt@CSU for electronic and/or print ownership (found in the library catalog SAGE) in the other databases. Check SAGE for articles identified in the print indexes.
Academic Search Premier. Varies.
Anthropology Plus.
[group] and art
Art Abstracts. 1984- . Also in print, scattered years from 1932-1998; Z 5937 .A78 Reference South
Art Index Retrospective 1929-1984.
ArticleFirst. Varies.
[Specific group] and art (only a few in here).
Electronic Collections Online (ECO). Varies.
[Specific group] and art
Ethnic News Watch.
[country or group] and art; for example: Mali and art. To eliminate African-American art from search results: (Africa and art) and not America*:
Historical Abstracts. 1954- .
JSTOR. Varies.
[group] and art. Specify the tribe or other group.
New York Times Historical 1851- .
This is a key resource to find descriptions of exhibitions that include African art pieces and objects.
Palmer's Index to the Times (London). 1790-1941. AI 21 .T51 Reference South. The Times newspaper is found at AN .T5 Journal Room on Microfilm.
Web of Science (search Arts & Humanities Citation Index 1975- within).
[specific group] and art
Journals
Check the library catalog Discovery for exact locations and holdings, because the information included here will change.
African Arts. NX 587 .A37Journal Room & online in JSTOR 1967-2000, Academic Search Premier 2000- .
Art Journal. N 81 .A72 Journal Room to JSTOR (Movable 1981-2000).
Sub-Saharan Art on the Web
The first group of Web sites has materials about multiple countries. There are specific country sections below. Parenthetical letters found next to the World Factbook listings are Internet country codes. In all cases be sure to evaluate what you find on the Web! See links under specific countries: Kenya; Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali, Ghana, Nigeria, Cote d'Ivoire, and Burkina Faso.
Smithsonian Institution Research Institute System.
Archives Image Gallery has images of art from around the world. Search the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives: National Museum of African Art. Browse by countries, subjects, and cultural groups. Separate major grouping of photographs from Mali; organized by topic (see green background shaded categories at the top of the page under the main header).
The National Anthropological Archives has images from Africa by culture group as well. Many groups are represented.
The Visual Arts of Africa. Warren M. Robbins Library. National Museum of African Art.
Links to African Art on the Web
African Art. Art History Resources on the Web. Christopher L. C. E. Witcombe. Dept. of Art History. Sweet Briar College, Virginia
Links to a lot of material about African art. Extensive.
Africa Focus: Sights and Sounds of a Continent. University of Wisconsin Digital Collections.
"Africa Focus brings together, in digital form, two categories of primary and secondary resources: research and teaching materials collected by University of Wisconsin faculty and staff; and unique or valuable items related to these fields held by the University of Wisconsin Libraries. This collection contains more than 3000 slides, 500 photographs, 50 hours of sounds from forty-five different countries, as well as a large number of difficult to find text." See artisans at work under "Africa Focus: Image and Audio Collection." Links to related material on the Web.
Art and Archaeology of Africa. Columbia University Libraries.
Extensive list of sources!
African Art. Special Topics Index. Copyright © 2000–2006 The Metropolitan Museum of Art. All rights reserved.
By region, links to types of art with extensive descriptions and images. Click on selected topic from scrolled menus. See also Eastern Africa, 1900 a.d.–present timeline. This is special.
Costume Accessories. The Diversity of African Art. National Museum of African Art.
14 objects from Kenya.
Image galleries. Domestic items.
African Art. ArtLex on African Art.
By country (in no particular order), example works of art.
Arts of Africa. Art Institute of Chicago.
Click on images on left for larger image with description. (12 images.)
Modern African Art : A Basic Reading List. Janet L. Stanley. Smithsonian Institute.
A work in progress, but has annotated list for:
Peoples Resources. Art & Life in Africa. University of Iowa.
Links to information about different groups.
Contemporary African Database. Africa Centre.
A growing database, updates currently suspended, but aims to have as much information about: "People: A Who's Who of prominent Africans now living or who have died since 1950, in all fields of expertise, for example artists, political luminaries, scientists, business-people etc (online)"; "Institution Africa: A directory of African institutions including governments, pan-African bodies, non-governmental organizations, and significant businesses (online)"; "Chronology Africa: A chronology of important events and dates in the contemporary African calendar, for example political events, festivals, birthdays, commemorations." French and English. Do a search for "artist" to find biographical information about contemporary artists (over 600 are listed). See Visual Arts under "Arts" for artists by medium (e.g. painters, print-makers). Search also by country.
African Art at the Denver Art Museum. Jonathan Batkin. African Arts May 1979.
Article with images (some in color).
African Art Museum: On-line Reference to the Artistic Styles of Africa. Curated by Dr. Ilya Raskin and Yuri Raskin.
Select name of specific group (e.g. Ashanti) for description of the ethnic group and images of the group's artwork. Note: this is also a Web site that sells items, in a widely-advertised, but separate set of pages.
The Exhibition. African Art: Aesthetics and Meaning: An Electronic Exhibition Catalog. Bayly Art Museum. University of Virginia. 1993. Benjamin C. Ray.
Catalog entries with photograph and descriptions.
Sculpture of Traditional African Metal Money. The John B. Henry Collection.
Catalogue by Type and Style: Anklets, Katanga Crosses, arrows, kissi pennies, blades, manilas, bracelets, necklaces, gongs, spirals, hammers, staffs, ingots, throwing knives.
People of Africa. The Diversity of Ethnics Groups in Africa. African Holocaust.
A-Z list with information about different ethnic groups. Images. "African Holocaust (Maafa) is a non-profit society dedicated to the study of African history and culture. The society is composed of African academics who share the desire to represent and restore an authentic, honest, plural and balance [sic] study of the African experience, past and present."
Kenya
Kenya. (.ke)
CIA World Factbook entry. Gives overview and background information about the country.
Country Profile: Kenya . Library of Congress. Federal Research Division. June 2007.
Overview of the country. 24 page PDF.
Modern African Art: A Basic Reading List. Eastern Africa. Kenya. Janet L. Stanley. Smithsonian Institute.
Annotated list of sources.
Kenya People & Culture. The Africa Guide.
Information about the people and culture. Has recommended books. Links to a few photographs and a number of recipes.
Kenya. Africa, South of the Sahara. © 2007 The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University.
Kenya on the Internet. Numerous links, which are annotated. Links are not often about art, but do provide cultural and political information.
A place where "busy artisans all transforming recycled glass and scraps of other materials into beautiful artworks, jewellery and home ware." Images of artwork.
Art. MagicalKenya.com. Kenya Tourist Board.
Overview of art in Kenya.
Kenya: Arts & Culture. VisitKenya.com
Overview of Kenyan art. Three pages (click on "next page" to see next page of information).
Web site that provides information and support for the Maasai tribe. The page Maasai Art by Maasai is on view in U.S.A has a few images of selected art pieces.
The Traditional Music and Cultures of Kenya. Jens Finke.
Completed sections have extensive information about tribes who live in Kenya. Web site author is has spent time in Kenya (and is co-author of 1999 Rough Guide to Kenya). Turkana - History.
Pokot Information. Art & Life in Africa Online. The University of Iowa. The School of Art and Art History.
Location, language, types of art, history, etc. Brief, but informative.
Selected Articles about Kenyan Art available online to CSU affiliates:
- Brown, Jean. "Traditional Sculpture in Kenya." African Arts, Vol. 6, No. 1. (Autumn, 1972), pp. 16-21+58+88.
- Cole., Herbert M., "Vital Arts in Northern Kenya." African Arts, Vol. 7, No. 2. (Winter, 1974), pp. 12-23+82.
- Coronel, Michael A., "African Art: An Exhibition of Traditions." African Arts, Vol. 18, No. 3. (May, 1985), pp. 95-96. (This exhibit was at CSU.)
- Court, Elsbeth, and Michael Mwangi. "Maridadi Fabrics." African Arts, Vol. 10, No. 1 (Oct., 1976), pp. 38-41+99.
- Crowley Daniel J., "African Crafts as Communication." African Arts, Vol. 14, No. 2. (Feb., 1981), pp. 66-68+70-71.
- Ghaidan, Usam. 1972. "Swahili Plasterwork." African Arts 6 (2):46-49.
Selected Books about Kenya
- Adamson, Joy. The Peoples of Kenya. New York, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, [1967]. DT434.E242 A6 1967 Morgan CSU Library record.
- Sieber, Roy. African Textiles and Decorative Arts. New York, Museum of Modern Art; distributed by New York Graphic Society, Greenwich, CT. [1972]. CSU Library record. (Includes Kamba.)
- Spear, Thomas, and Richard Waller. Being Maasai: Ethnicity & Identity in East Africa. London : J. Currey: Ohio University Press, 1993. CSU Library record.
- Spencer, Paul. The Maasai of Matapato: A Study of Rituals of Rebellion. Bloomington: Indiana University Press in association with the International African Institute, 1988. CSU Library record.
- Wolfe, Ernie. An Introduction to the Arts of Kenya. Washington, D.C.: Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, 1979. SI 1. 2/2: K 42 Documents CSU Library record.
Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaire 1965/6-1997)
Democratic Republic of Congo. (.cd)
CIA World Factbook entry. Gives overview and background information about the country.
The Congo Region Encyclopedia, African Art. infoplease.
Online encyclopedia article. Pop-ups.
African Reflections: Art from Northeastern Zaire.
"Excerpted from African Reflections: Art from Northeastern Zaire, Chapters 6 and 7, by Enid Schildkrout and Curtis A. Keim, AMNH and University of Washington Press, 1990."
ARH 3526 Arts of Central Africa. Course Reserves. Robin Poynor. Architecture & Fine Arts Library. University of Florida.
Divided by group, click on brief description to see image. No further descriptions provided--page has "test 3" so it is likely these are images being used for an exam.
Carl Steckelmann and the Congo. Cincinnati Art Museum.
1300 objects are in the museum. Online offers collection highlights by category. Descriptions of objects and their purpose in their culture.
The Collection: A Regional and Typological Approach: Central Africa. The Maurer Collection. Amherst College.
Discussion and description of items. "Click here for more" to see additional pages. Groups of interest are specifically mentioned. (E.g. page 6 mentions the Pende.)
Congo Art. Congo Pages.
Scroll down to see example artworks from various group. Click on image to enlarge. No descriptions.
Congo Images. Matson Museum of Anthropology. Penn State.
Background information about various groups in the Congo region of Central Africa. There are images of a few items with descriptions.
Images of Power and Identity. National Museum of African Art.
Online text that accompanied an exhibition. See separate pages (e.g. Upper Congo River Basin & Lower Congo and Kwango River Basin) with information about specific types of artwork.
Modern African Art: A Basic Reading List. Central Africa. Congo (Democratic Republic). Janet L. Stanley. Smithsonian Institute.
Annotated list of sources.
Southern African Rock Art. Steve Lonker.
Information and images.
Specific Groups in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Selected)
Azande | Kuba | Mangbetu | Pende | Songye | Suku | Yaka | Article & Books
Be sure to look up specific groups in the New York Times--there have been a number of exhibits featuring art from these groups.
Azande (African people). Smithsonian Institution.
Database search results for the Suku. Over 45 items with descriptions of the context. Click on images to enlarge.
The Azande Bow-Harp. Michael Berninger.
Image and information about the item. Background color, a dark red, makes page difficult to view and text hard or impossible to read, but the pictures are interesting. Also click on "Bow-Harp Pictures" and other links.
Divination in Sub-Saharan Africa. Part 1: Azande. Art and Oracle. The Metropolian Museum of Art.
Overview of the Azande's spiritual beliefs (per non-Azande scholars).
Tribal African Art: Zande (Adyo, Azande, Badjo, Bazenda, Bsande, Idio, Niam-Niam, Zandeh). African Art Museum.
Overview of the area and one image. Commerical site.
The Art of Kuba Weaving: Suggested Reading. Yuusuf Caruso. Columbia University. 1998.
There are 29 entries on this bibliography. Check CSU's holdings for ownership.
Kuba (African people). Smithsonian Institution.
Database search results for the Kuba. Over 1350 items with descriptions of the context. Click on images to enlarge.
Kuba Cosmology and Crafts and the World Wide Web. Adapted from Georges Meurant, Shoowa Design: African Textiles from the Kingdom of Kuba. London: Thames and Hudson, 1986. Peter Schmidt. Swarthmore College.
Discussion of the patterns found in Kuba textiles. Includes images.
A Kuba Mask. Bonnie E. Weston.
Overview of Kuba art and description of three types of royal masks. Images in both black & white and in color.
Kuba Textiles: An Introduction. Ann E. Svenson. WAAC Newsletter 8.1 (Jan 1986): 2-5. (Not currently on Web.)
Overview of the Kuba and discussion of cloth and fibers used by them. Includes a bibliography (see CSU ownership, if applicable, just below).
- Adams, Monni. "Kuba Embroidered Cloth," African Arts, 11/78, Vol.XII, No.l, 24-39.
- Mack, John. "Bakuba Embroidery Patterns: A Commentary on Their Social and Political Implications," Textiles of Africa, W.S. Maney and Son Ltd., 1980, 163-174.
- Picton, John and John Mack. African Textiles. London: British Museum Publications, Ltd., 1979. (CSU has 1989 US edition, New York: Harper & Row, 1989.
NK8987 .P53 1989 Morgan) - Sieber, Roy. African Textiles and Decorative Arts. New York: The Museum of Modern Art, 1972. NK8887 .S53 1972 Morgan
- Vansina, J. The Children of Woot: A History of the Kuba Peoples. Madison, 1978. DT650.K83 V36 Morgan
Mangbetu (African people). Smithsonian Institution.
Database search results for the Mangbetu. Over 885 items with descriptions of the context. Click on images to enlarge. A number of images show the hairstyles and skull/head elongation practiced by this group.
Mangbetu (Guruguru, Mangutu, Mombouttous, Mongbutu, Ngbetu) Tribal African Art.
Overview of the area and images of art pieces. Commerical site
Mangbetu Information. Art & Life in Africa Online. University of Iowa.
Brief overview of the Mangbetu.
Collections: Mangbetu. Brooklyn Museum.
21 objects from the Brooklyn Museum (as of 9/9/9). Not all are verified Mangbetu, but a number of them are considered to be. Click on image to enlarge and see additional information.
Female Effigy Vessel. Michael C. Carlos Museum. Emory University.
Detailed description and background of the object.
The Mangbetu Art of Daily Life. Excerpted from African Reflections: Art from Northeastern Zaire, Chapters 6 and 7, by Enid Schildkrout and Curtis A. Keim, AMNH and University of Washington Press, 1990. Also in PDF. American Museum. Congo Expedition 1909-1915.
Covers: The Art of Adornment; Houses; Tools; Ceramics; Fiber and Gourd Objects; and Wood Carving and Metalwork.
Transformational Geometry and Iteration in Mangbetu Art. Culturally Situated Design Tools: Teaching Math and Computing Through Culture.
See left hand side for additional pages of information.
Article about the Mangbetu
- Reif, Rita. "Artifacts From Africa Show the Shape of a People." New York Times July 1, 1990: H28.
Pende (African people). Smithsonian Institution.
Database search results for the Pende. Over 765 items with descriptions of the context. Click on images to enlarge.
Pende Information. Art & Life in Africa Online. University of Iowa.
Brief overview of the Pende.
Galukoji Divination Instrument (Ngombo). African Art and Riturals of Divination. The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Information on Pende spiritual beliefs (per non-Pende scholars) via the object shown. See also Njinda Divination Figure (Ngombo).
Tribal African Art: Pende (Bapende, Phenbe, Pindi, Pinji). African Art Museum.
Overview of the area and images of art pieces. Commerical site.
Book on the Pende
- Strother, Z. S. Inventing Masks: Agency And History In the Art of the Central Pende. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1998. DT650.P46 S77 1998 Morgan
Songye (African people). Smithsonian Institution.
Database search results for the Songye. Over 85 items with descriptions of the context. Click on images to enlarge.
Songye Information. Art & Life in Africa Online. University of Iowa.
Brief overview of the Songye.
Collections: Songye. Brooklyn Museum.
6 objects from the Brooklyn Museum (as of 9/9/9). Click on image to enlarge and see additional information.
Divination in Sub-Saharan Africa. Part 2: Luba and Songye. Art and Oracle. The Metropolian Museum of Art.
Overview of the Luba and Songye's spiritual beliefs (per non-Luba/Songye scholars).
Personal Power Figure (Nkishi). The Metropolian Museum of Art.
Overview of the Songye spiritual beliefs as shown through rituals (per non-Songye scholars).
Tribal African Art: Songye (Basonge, Basongye, Bassongo, Bayembe, Songe, Songhay, Wasonga). African Art Museum.
Overview of the area and images of art pieces. Commerical site.
Suku (African people). Smithsonian Institution.
Database search results for the Suku. Over 30 items with descriptions of the context. Click on images to enlarge.
Suku Information. Art & Life in Africa Online. University of Iowa.
Brief overview of the Suku.
Suku (Basuku). Julie. Siebring.
Brief overview with bibliography.
Tribal African Art: Suku (Basuku). African Art Museum.
Overview of the area and images of art pieces. Commerical site.
Divination in Sub-Saharan Africa. Part 3: Yaka. Art and Oracle. The Metropolian Museum of Art.
Overview of the Yaka's spiritual beliefs (per non-Yaka scholars).
Mbwoolo Sculpture of the Yaka. Arthur P. Bourgeois.
Essay on various components of Yaka art. Includes black & white photographs. Bibliography.
Tribal African Art: Yaka (Bayaka). African Art Museum.
Overview of the area and images of art pieces. Commerical site.
Yaka (African people). Smithsonian Institution.
Database search results for the Yaka. Over 150 items with descriptions of the context. Click on images to enlarge.
Yaka Information. Art & Life in Africa Online. University of Iowa.
Brief overview of the Yaka.
Article about Yaka on Free Web
- Devisch, René. "Cultural Modes of Comprehending and Healing Insanity: The Yaka of DR Congo." Africa Development 30.3 (2005):93–111.
Selected Articles/Transactions about the Democratic Republic of Congo available online to CSU affiliates
- Mack, John. "Animal Representations in Kuba Art: An Anthropological Interpretation of Sculpture." Oxford Art Journal 42 Sculpture (Nov. 1981): 50-56 .
- Washburn, Dorothy K. "Style, Classification and Ethnicity: Design Categories on Bakuba Raffia Cloth." Transactions of the American Philosophical Society 80.3 (1990): i-xi+1-157.
Selected Books about the Democratic Republic of Congo (Art)
- Biebuyck, Daniel P. The Arts of Zaire. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1985. 2 vols. N 7399 C6B5 1985 Morgan
- Elisofon, Eliot. The Sculpture of Africa. New York: Hacker Art Books, 1978. NB1097.6.S73 E44 1978 Oversz
- Fabian, Johannes. Remembering the Present: Painting and Popular History in Zaire. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1996. ND1099.C63 T7534 1996 Morgan
- Herreman, Frank, and Constantijn Petridis. Face of the Spirits: Masks from the Zaire Basin. Gent: Snoeck-Ducaju, 1993. NB1099.Z28 F33 1993 Oversz
- Hilu, Sam, and Irwin Hersey. Textile Art of the Bakuba: Velvet Embroideries in Raffia. Atglen, PA: Schiffer, 2003. NK9289.6.C6 H55 2003 Morgan
- Jordán, Manuel, ed. Chokwe!: Art and Initiation among the Chokwe and Related Peoples. Munich: Prestel, 1998. N7391.7 .C56 1998 Morgan
- Latouche, John. Congo. [New York]: Willow, White & Co., 1945. DT646 .L35 1945 Morgan
- Mack, John. Emil Torday and the Art of the Congo, 1900-1909. Seattle: University of Washington Press, [1990?]. N 7399 C6M33 1990 Morgan
- Muller, Emile. A Passage to Congo: Photographs by Doctor Émile Muller, 1923-1938. Milan: 5 contients, 2007. DT646 .M85 2007 Morgan
- Quaghebeur Marc and Emile van Balberghe, eds. Papier blanc, encre noire: cent ans de culture francophone en Afrique centrale: Zaïre, Rwanda et Burundi. Bruxelles: Editions Labor, 1992. 2 vols. NX589.6.C6 P37 1992 Morgan
- Roberts, Mary Nooter, and Allen F. Roberts, eds. Memory: Luba Art and the Making of History. New York: Museum for African Art, 1996. N7399.C6 M46 1996 Morgan
- Schildkrout, Enid, and Curtis A. Keim. African Reflections: Art from Northeastern Zaire. Seattle : University of Washington Press, 1990. N 7399 C6S35 1990 Morgan
- Tshilemalema, Mukenge. Culture and Customs of the Congo. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 2002. DT649 .M85 2002 c.2 Morgan
- Weeks, John H. Congo Life and Folklore. London, England: Religious Tract Society, 1911. Available online to CSU affiliates.
Mali
Mali. (.ml)
CIA World Factbook entry. Gives overview and background information about the country.
Arts & Culture. Experience Mali.
Brief overview of arts created by various groups.
Musee National du Mali. Link not active April 22, 2009.
Galarie shows images of objects found in the museum. Les grottes shows caves. In French.
Art of Mali. Judy Decker. Art Education Resources.
History, peoples, artwork, and more. A lot of information is found here.
The Art of Ancient Mali. From the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Classroom Poster.
Geography and history. Art from the museum.
Ghana
Ghana. (.gh)
CIA World Factbook entry. Gives overview and background information about the country.
Facts about Ghana . Ghana Tourism.
Overview of country regions, history, etc. The Ghana Tourism site has pages on handicrafts, festivals (listed by month), dining (dishes by region), and more. There are placeholders for intended additions.
The Art of Wearing Cloth - (Ntamafura). National Commission on Culture.
"Ntamafura is the Akan expression for cloth wearing or how one puts on cloth. The way Ghanaians put on their cloths distinguishes them from other nationals." Background and images. (See "Read more" for additional information and images.) "Splendour of Traditional Art - By Prof. J.K. Anquandah" is also found on this page. PDF links have additional information.
Contemporary Visual Art from Ghana: An overview. George Hughes. Virtual Museum of Contemporary African Art. Review of African Art.
Article that gives an overview; author is from Ghana.
People and Culture of Ghana. The Africa Guide.
Links off to: People, Languages, Religion, Cooking & Recipes, Festivals, Music, Musical Instruments, and Art & Craft.
African Tribes--Ashanti: People and Cultures. The Africa Guide.
Information on page about Ashanti. Links off to Introduction to Africa, African Tribes Groups, Art & Craft, Music & Dance, African Weddings, Festivals & Events, People & Culture Books, People and Culture Posters, People & Culture Photographs, and African Language Books.
Nigeria
Nigeria. (.ng)
CIA World Factbook entry. Gives overview and background information about the country.
The Arts. Motherland Nigeria.
Links to art, literature, and media.
G. I. Jones Photographic Archive of Southeast Nigerian Art and Culture. Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. The copyright for these photographs is held by the G.I. Jones Estate.
"The photographs in this archive were taken in the 1930s by the late G. I. Jones. The photos included here are only a sample of the complete collection."
Nigeria: Education, History, Language, and Culture. Columbia University Libraries.
Extensive bibliography.
Smithsonian World: Nigerian Art - Kindred Spirits. Encyclopedia Smithsonian.
Bibliography. Contents: Books: Africa - History, Nigeria - History, Nigeria - Contemporary Art; Magazines, Articles, and Exhibition Catalogues.
Introduction Yoruba Beaded Art . Community Arts Resource Exchange.
Yoruba Peoples: Nigeria, West Africa. African Beaded Art: Power and Adornment. Smith College Museum of Art.Background on the group. Online lessons on the artwork. Lesson 3 is Nigerian Art.
Brief information on history and artwork, focusing on beadwork of the Yoruba. Prepared for an exhibition.
Article
Lawal, Babatunde. "Orilonise: The Hermeneutics of the Head and Hairstyles amoung the Yoruba." Tribal Arts 7.2 (2001/2002).
Lengthy article which discusses the head part of Yoruba figure sculpture. Includes images, notes, and extensive bibliography.
Cote d'Ivoire
Cote d’Ivoire. (.ci)
CIA World Factbook entry. Gives overview and background information about the country.
National museums in Cote d'Ivoire. In French.
Online library. Arts and Culture in Cote D'Ivoire. General Sites on Ivoirian Culture. Embassy of the United States.
Links to information Web sites (see under Ethnic Art of Cote d'Ivoire and subheadings (by ethnic group) under Images of Ivoirian Art). Extensive.
L'Art en Afrique, Etude de Masques Africains: la Côte d'Ivoire. danse-africaine.
Page on masks. In French.
Senufo: Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana and Mali. Rand African Art.
Information about the ethnic group Kponyungo (Kufulo). Descriptions and images. Color images of masks.
The Senufo Land. © Lorem Ipsum.
Information and bibliography. Page has typos and not all diacritics transferred well.
Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso (Upper Volta). (.bf)
CIA World Factbook entry. Gives overview and background information about the country.
L’art du Bronze. Manéga. Musée de la Bendrologie.
On saving and about bronze artworks. Images of bracelets and of a Chevilliers royales from the museum's collection. Images of contemporary bronze artworks. In French.
Trafic illicite d’objets d’art Réorganisons le secteur des antiquaires. Frédéric Ilboudo. Edition de l’Opinion
Opinion piece about illegal selling of antique art. In French.
Culture & Societe. Tourisme au Burkina Faso.
Ethnic groups, languages, religions, and art. In French.
L’art et la culture. Xème Sommet de la Francophonie.
Information about arts and culture of Burkina Faso. In French.
The Art of Burkina Faso. Christopher D. Roy. University of Iowa. 2002.
Article with detailed information about Burkina Faso, its demography, history and specific groups:
Mossi (Masks, Figures, Dolls, Zazaido crests); Gurunsi (Masks); Bwa (Masks); Bobo (Masks); Marka Dafing; Furniture; Pottery; Jewelry; Weaving; Style Map (Mossi, Gurunsi, Bwa, Bobo); Tusyan; Bolon; and Lobi. Bibliography on separate page. Some items on the bibliography are in French, but there are sources in English.
Fonction sociale du masque dans la société traditionnelle burkinabé. Artisanat d'art africain du Burkina Faso.
History and functions of masks. In French. Entire site (Handicrafts from Burkina Faso) may be of interest because it covers contemporary artists. Lots of images. Not all pages have English equivalents.
In all cases be sure to evaluate what you find on the Web!
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