African Art Club

Vatican Museum launches exhibit with 80,000 ancient artifacts

Important exhibtions in the US and in Rome makes us discover very old artifact from the Missionary-Ethnological Museum, which has about 80,000 artifacts from ancient civilizations, from the Americas, Asia and Africa and lets us discover some lost cultures

January 8, 2013. (Romereports.com) When people think about the Vatican Museums, most immediately think of the Sistine Chapel and the priceless work of Michelangelo. But what’s often overlooked are a series of other wonders. Among them is the Missionary-Ethnological Museum, which has about 80,000 artifacts from ancient civilizations, from the Americas, Asia and Africa. In fact it was Pius XI who pushed for its creation back in 1926.

FR. NICOLA MAPELLI 

A new book was published by the Museo d’Arte & Scienza in Madrid.

Looks like the Teke mask on the cover was not made for tribal use but for decoration, since it does not include the normal symbols you see in traditional Teke masks ,and the red pigment use, looks more like painting,…

Among scholars interested in traditional African art this museum has had it’s share of controvercy, but still I found it an interesting book.

Main contents of the book
The round or natural style is the most ancient Black African art style, whilst a style hailed as primitive (“abstract“) could be directed at the Western market and lovers of modern painting. Of great interest might be the comments on what is judged as “colonial” and “decadent” and the concepts of “straight lines” and “rare“.
Masks – Dan, Yoruba, Ibo, Songye, Ekoi, Bambara, Senufo, Fang…Helmets, Headdresses, Two-faced, Zoomorphic and Ritual Dance Masks.
Figures – Facial expressions on masks and figures; The development of Dogon art; Baule spirit spouses; Man, Woman and their different social status; Couples; Ibeji twin figures.
The cult – The fertility cult, The funeral and divination cult.
Musical instruments
Receptacles and other utensils of artistic value
Objects in bronze and other metals
The art of the Ife and Benin kingdoms
Stone figures
Terracotta figures and heads
The Authenticity of African Art - Artworks in Wood, Bronze, Stone, Terracotta and Ivory: Dating, Corrosion, Fake corrosion, Abrasion, Patinas, Paints, Manufacturing process, Restoration.

to buy this book and read more ...