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Wooden headrest carved in the shape of a female caryatid figure. Text on the image reading "Arts of Africa."

Special Installation

Arts of Africa

Overview Exhibition Objects Related Content

Seated figure, Middle Niger artist, Terracotta, Middle Niger civilization — Seated figure
Middle Niger artist
13th century

Priest with raised arms, Dogon blacksmith, Wood, patina, Dogon — Priest with raised arms
Dogon blacksmith
14th–17th century

Seated couple, Barnes Foundation Master, Wood, copper and iron alloy, applied organic materials, Dogon — Seated couple
Barnes Foundation Master
18th–early 19th century

Staff with seated male leader, Dogon or Bozo blacksmith, Copper alloy, iron, Dogon or Bozo — Staff with seated male leader
Dogon or Bozo blacksmith
16th–17th century

Ci wara headdress, Bamana numuw (blacksmith), Wood, metal, fiber, Bamana peoples — Ci wara headdress
Bamana numuw (blacksmith)
19th–early 20th century

Ci wara headdress, Bamana numuw (blacksmith), Wood, metal, fiber, Bamana peoples — Ci wara headdress
Bamana numuw (blacksmith)
19th–early 20th century

Lidded saltcellar, Temne or Bullom artist(s), Ivory, Temne or Bullom — Lidded saltcellar
Temne or Bullom artist(s)
ca. 1490–1530

D’mba (great mother) headdress, Baga artist, Wood, Baga — D’mba (great mother) headdress
Baga artist
19th–20th century

Between Earth and Heaven, El Anatsui Ghanaian, Aluminum, copper wire — Between Earth and Heaven
El Anatsui
2006

Ȯkyeame poma (linguist’s staff) with spider’s web and figures, Asante (Akan) artist, Wood, gold foil, nails, Akan — Ȯkyeame poma (linguist’s staff) with spider’s web and figures
Asante (Akan) artist
19th–early 20th century

Royal man's kente (prestige cloth), Asante artist, Silk, dye, Asante-Akan — Royal man's kente (prestige cloth)
Asante artist
ca. 1910–1940

Elephant bocio, Hountondji guild artists, Silver (silver/copper alloy), Fon — Elephant bocio
Hountondji guild artists
19th century

Wunkirmian or wakemia feasting spoon, Dan artist, Wood, pigment, Dan — Wunkirmian or wakemia feasting spoon
Dan artist
19th–mid-20th century

Portrait face mask from a mblo performance, Baule artist Baoulé, Wood, pigment, Baule — Portrait face mask from a mblo performance
Baule artist
late 19th–early 20th century

Kpeliye’e headdress, Senufo artist, Wood, horns, raffia fiber, cotton cloth, feather, metal, sacrificial material, Senufo — Kpeliye’e headdress
Senufo artist
19th–mid-20th century

Throne of Njouteu, Grassfields carver and master beader, Wood, glass beads, cloth, cowrie shells, Bamileke — Throne of Njouteu
Grassfields carver and master beader
Late 19th–early 20th century

Tsesah crest, Grassfields artist, Wood, Bamileke — Tsesah crest
Grassfields artist
18th century

Jagana or iagana (carved figure), “Master of the Pantisawa Workshop”, Wood (Detarium senegalense), Mumuye — Jagana or iagana (carved figure)
“Master of the Pantisawa Workshop”
19th–20th century

Ùhúnmwèlaò (head of an ọ́bà), Ìgùn Ẹ́rọ̀nwwọ̀n (brass-casting guild) artists, Brass, Edo — Ùhúnmwèlaò (head of an ọ́bà)
Ìgùn Ẹ́rọ̀nwwọ̀n (brass-casting guild) artists
16th century

Plaque: Equestrian Oba and Attendants, Brass, Edo peoples — Plaque: Equestrian Oba and Attendants
Edo peoples
1550–1680

Ìlẹ̀kùn ààfin (Ìsẹ̀ palace door), Olowe of Ise Nigerian, Wood, pigment, Yoruba — Ìlẹ̀kùn ààfin (Ìsẹ̀ palace door)
Olowe of Ise
ca. 1904–1910

Ceremonial Sword and Sheath (Udamalore), Yoruba artist, Cotton, glass beads, wood, brass bells, rope, metal (?), Yoruba — Ceremonial Sword and Sheath (Udamalore)
Yoruba artist
19th–20th century

Ekpu ancestor figure, Oron artist, Wood, Oron — Ekpu ancestor figure
Oron artist
18th–19th century

Female Figure from an Obu (house of images), Igbo artist, Wood, pigment, Igbo — Female Figure from an Obu (house of images)
Igbo artist
19th century

Eyema byeri (reliquary guardian figure), Okak-Fang artist, Wood, metal — Eyema byeri (reliquary guardian figure)
Okak-Fang artist
19th–early 20th century

Mukudj (mask), Punu artist, Wood, pigment, kaolin, Punu — Mukudj (mask)
Punu artist
19th–20th century

Christ figure, Kongo artist, brass, Kongo — Christ figure
Kongo artist
18th–19th century

Mangaaka Power Figure (Nkisi N’Kondi), Kongo artist and nganga, Yombe group, Wood, iron, resin, ceramic, plant fiber, textile, pigment, Kongo — Mangaaka Power Figure (Nkisi N’Kondi)
Kongo artist and nganga, Yombe group
Second half of the 19th century

Headrest: Female Caryatid Figure, Master of the Cascade Coiffure Zaire, Wood, beads, plant fiber — Headrest: Female Caryatid Figure
Master of the Cascade Coiffure
19th century

Commemorative Portrait of a Chief (Singiti), Hemba artist, Wood, Dogon — Commemorative Portrait of a Chief (Singiti)
Hemba artist
19th–early 20th century

Lupona (royal seat), Buli Master, possibly Ngongo ya Chintu (Hemba, ca. 1810-1870) Democratic Republic of Congo, Wood, metal studs — Lupona (royal seat)
Buli Master, possibly Ngongo ya Chintu (Hemba, ca. 1810-1870)
1840–1870

Sachihongo Mask, Mbunda artist, Wood, pigment(?), Mbunda — Sachihongo Mask
Mbunda artist
19th–early 20th century

Ncák (women's ceremonial skirt), Kuba artist, Raffia palm fiber, dye, Kuba — Ncák (women's ceremonial skirt)
Kuba artist
early–mid-20th century

Igiseke (prestige basket), Tutsi artist, Plant fiber, colorant, Tutsi — Igiseke (prestige basket)
Tutsi artist
ca. 1900

Lidded prestige vessel, Circle of "Unobadula"?, Wood — Lidded prestige vessel
Circle of "Unobadula"?
19th century

Processional Cross, Ezra Ethiopian, Wood, tin — Processional Cross
Ezra
ca. 1500

Book of the Gospels, Northern Highlands artist, Parchment (vellum), wood (acacia), tempera, ink — Book of the Gospels
Northern Highlands artist
late 14th–early 15th century

Hazomanga finial, Sakalava artist, Wood, pigment, Sakalava — Hazomanga finial
Sakalava artist
17th–late 18th century