African Sculpture

A comprehensive introduction to the vast range of tribal sculpture from Africa is presented in this photographic survey. Ashanti fertility dolls, Bambara dance headpieces, Bachokwe staff heads, and Bakuba boxes are included in 347 works from Senegal to the Congo regions, Mali to Sierra Leone. This book provides a tremendous opportunity to view the diversity, expressive quality, and sheer evocative power of African art, and to gain a better understanding of one of the great heritages of mankind. Author Warren Robbins, founder and former director of the National Museum of African Art in Washington, D.C., presents these pieces from the perspective of two civilizations -- Africa and the West. Believing that the works are classical rather than primitive art, his sensitive analysis of the stylistic refinements of the various tribes past and present emphasizes the importance of preserving this art for posterity. The text and captions are presented in both English and French.