Personification of Africa

1580–90

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 520

During the Renaissance, Europeans recognized four continents. Each figure on these plaquettes (60.70.1-.4) personifies one of them. Europe’s clothing and attributes denote empire, military strength, and artistic accomplishments, whereas those of Africa, America, and Asia represent the precious goods that Europeans coveted. Far from accurate representations, this imagery reinforced the fiction of European superiority over other peoples and cultures.

Artwork Details

Overview

Signatures, Inscriptions, and Markings

Provenance

Title: Personification of Africa
Date: 1580–90
Culture: German
Medium: Lead and gilding
Dimensions: Diameter: 6 7/8 in. (17.5 cm)
Classification: Medals and Plaquettes
Credit Line: Rogers Fund, 1960
Object Number: 60.70.3
Curatorial Department: European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

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