African Art Notes

Great Zimbabwe (1000-1400)

• Location: Zimbabwe, built by the Shona people.

• Meaning: "Houses of Stone."

• Function: Served as a trade center and royal residence.

• Structure Details:

  • Walls: 800 ft long, 32 ft tall, 17 ft thick (tapering to the top).

  • Features a conical tower mimicking traditional grain silo shapes, symbolizing wealth and power.

  • Tight passages designed to enforce single-file movement, enhancing exclusivity.

  • Tower represents grain storage and thus prosperity.

Great Mosque of Djenne (1200; rebuilt 1906-1907)

• Location: Djenne, Mali.

• Construction: Made of mud-brick from clay and straw.

• Structure Highlights:

  • Three towers with the central one being the mihrab (prayer niche).

  • Ornate decorations include crowning ostrich eggs, symbolizing fertility and purity.

  • Torons: Wooden beams projecting from walls, serving as ladders for maintenance.

  • Vertical fluting enhances water drainage.

  • Notable as the largest mud-brick mosque globally.

Wall Plaque from Oba’s Palace

• Culture: Benin People, 16th Century.

• Material: Brass (approximately 16-18 inches in size).

• Purpose: 1 of 900 plaques created for King Oba’s audience hall, showcasing wealth from trade with Portuguese.

• Scene Depiction: Illustrates the king's authority and power, emphasizing copper usage in its creation through lost-wax casting.

• Significance: Headdresses adorned with coral beads indicate rank; power pose indicates hierarchy.

Golden Stool (1700)

• Location: Ghana, associated with the Ashanti people.

• Description: Symbol of the Ashanti nation, never allowed to touch the ground.

• Unique Attributes: Has its own stool, surface inlaid with gold; replicas are used for ceremonial purposes.

• Historic Event: British representative’s demand to sit on the stool incited rebellion, leading to Ashanti's independence.

Ndop (Portrait Figure) of King Mishe miShyaang maMbul (1760-1780)

• Culture: Kuba People.

• Material: Wood.

• Function: Idealistic portrait of a ruler, typically made posthumously to commemorate kings.

• Symbolism: Base features symbols representing the individual; face exhibits passive involvement, transcending earthly matters.

N’Kisi Nkondi (Power Figure)

• Culture: Kongo People, Late 19th Century.

• Material: Wood and metal.

• Representation: Human form linked to real-world issues like ailments and disputes.

• Spiritual Aspect: Embedded spirits influence actions; nails and blades denote conflicts or health interventions.

• Significance: Holes contain items (like seeds) prompting spirit replication/growth; glass mirrors symbolize a connection to the spirit world.

Female Mask (Pwo)

• Culture: Chokwe, 19-20th Century.

• Material: Wood, fiber, pigment, and metal.

• Purpose: Worn by men to honor women, embodying idealized female beauty.

• Cultural Context: Related to matriarchy; during rituals, men emulate women’s movements.

• Characteristics: Calm expression; closed eyes signify introspection; whitened eyes represent spiritual insight.

Portrait Mask (Mblo)

• Culture: Baule People, 19-20th Century.

• Material: Wood and pigment.

• Characteristics: Rarity among African art for being a portrait; idealized representation reflecting specific individuals.

• Features: Broad forehead, pronounced eyes, peaceful, introspective face; performed during ritual dances honoring individuals.

Bundu Mask

• Culture: Sande Society, 19-20th Century.

• Materials: Wood, cloth, and fiber.

• Function: Worn by women during initiation rites for girls between childhood and womanhood; symbolizes the chrysalis stage.

• Cultural Aspect: Idealizes female beauty with a focus on restraint (tight lips symbolize not gossiping).

• Mask Details: Worn above the head, decorated with raffia, and symbolizes wealth and status.

Ikenga (Shrine Figure)

• Time Period: 19-20th Century; Culture: Igbo People.

• Meaning: "Strong Right Arm."

• Symbolism: Masculine strength, often depicted with animal traits (like ram's horns).

• Usage: Represents achievements and success, personalized with time.

Lukasa (Memory Board)

• Culture: Mbudye Society, LUBA People, 19th-20th Century.

• Materials: Wood, beads, metals.

• Function: Aids in storytelling and recording history; comprehension limited to a select few.

• Bead Representation: Larger beads denote significant figures/events; lines of beads symbolize journeys or pathways.

Aka Elephant Mask

• Time Frame: 19/20th Century; Culture: Bamileke Kingdom.

• Construction: Wood, woven raffia, cloth, and beads.

• Usage: Exclusively danced by members of the elephant society to honor the divine king (Fon).

• Symbolism: Represents the transformation between human and animal (elephant/leopard) powers.

Reliquary Figure (Guardian)

• Culture: Fang People, 19-20th Century.

• Material: Wood.

• Purpose: Guards possessions and bones of deceased leaders, ritually polished for aesthetic and protective properties.

• Features: Expresses solemnity towards death, with defined musculature representing strength.

Veranda Post of Enthroned King and Senior Wife

• Culture: Yoruba People, 1910-1914.

• Material: Wood and pigment.

• Description: Structural support for a palace, depicting seated king with senior wife behind.

• Symbolism: Wife's scale reflects importance and advisory role; trickster god Esu symbolizes divinity.