Exhibition

The African Origin of Civilization

December 14, 2021–October 6, 2024

Previously on view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 136

Free with Museum admission

All exhibitions

Overview Africa Installations Across The Met Exhibition Objects Related Content Paired Works

Statue of Gudea, named “Gudea, the man who built the temple, may his life be long”, Diorite, Neo-Sumerian — Statue of Gudea, named “Gudea, the man who built the temple, may his life be long”
Neo-Sumerian
ca. 2090 BCE

Seated Chief (Mwanangana) Playing Sanza, Chokwe artist, Wood (uapaca), cloth, fiber, beads, dyes, resinous coating, Chokwe — Seated Chief (Mwanangana) Playing Sanza
Chokwe artist
19th century (before 1869)

Marble statue of a kouros (youth), Marble, Naxian, Greek, Attic — Marble statue of a kouros (youth)
Greek, Attic
ca. 590–580 BCE

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

Processional Cross, Northern Highlands region artist, Bronze, Northern Highlands region — Processional Cross
Northern Highlands region artist
13th–14th century

Processional Cross, Northern Highlands region artist, Brass, Northern Highlands region — Processional Cross
Northern Highlands region artist
14th–15th century

Processional Cross, Central or Northern Highlands region artist, Copper, Central or Northern Highlands region — Processional Cross
Central or Northern Highlands region artist
15th century

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

Triple Crucifix, Kongo artist, Open-back cast brass (central figure), solid cast brass (top and bottom figures), forged iron nails, brass, copper, wood, ultramarine pigment, Kongo — Triple Crucifix
Kongo artist
16th–17th century (central figure); 18th–19th century (top and bottom figures)

Crucifix, Kongo artist, Solid cast brass, Kongo — Crucifix
Kongo artist
16th–17th century

Cross with Saint Anthony of Padua, Kongo artist, Solid cast brass, lead-tin alloy sheet, wood, fiber, Kongo — Cross with Saint Anthony of Padua
Kongo artist
16th–18th century (pendant figure); 19th century (cross)

The Holy Family with Saints Anne and Catherine of Alexandria, Jusepe de Ribera (called Lo Spagnoletto) Spanish, Oil on canvas — The Holy Family with Saints Anne and Catherine of Alexandria
Jusepe de Ribera (called Lo Spagnoletto)
1648

Gwandansu, Bamana numuw (blacksmith), Wood (Cordyla africana or Lonchocarpus), applied organic materials, Bamana — Gwandansu
Bamana numuw (blacksmith)
15th–17th century

Aristotle with a Bust of Homer, Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn) Dutch, Oil on canvas — Aristotle with a Bust of Homer
Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn)
1653

Sculptural Bust from a Reliquary Ensemble (The Great Bieri), Fang-Betsi artist, Wood, copper alloy, palm oil, Fang-Betsi — Sculptural Bust from a Reliquary Ensemble (The Great Bieri)
Fang-Betsi artist
19th century

Joséphine-Éléonore-Marie-Pauline de Galard de Brassac de Béarn (1825–1860), Princesse de Broglie, Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres French, Oil on canvas — Joséphine-Éléonore-Marie-Pauline de Galard de Brassac de Béarn (1825–1860), Princesse de Broglie
Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres
1851–53

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

Riga (Ceremonial Robe), Amadou Ahejo, Kano, Nigeria Nigerian, Cotton, tsamiya silk — Riga (Ceremonial Robe)
Amadou Ahejo, Kano, Nigeria
ca. 1941

Funey-soo window frame, Mande blacksmith, Wood, iron alloy, pigment, Mande — Funey-soo window frame
Mande blacksmith
19th–early 20th century

Study For Liberty Displaying the Arts and Sciences, or The Genius of America Encouraging the Emancipation of the Blacks, Samuel Jennings American, Oil on canvas, American — Study For Liberty Displaying the Arts and Sciences, or The Genius of America Encouraging the Emancipation of the Blacks
Samuel Jennings
ca. 1791–92

Ntadi (commemorative figure) of a Seated Male Leader, Kongo artist, Steatite, Kongo — Ntadi (commemorative figure) of a Seated Male Leader
Kongo artist
Late 18th–19th century

The Terrace at Vernonnet, Pierre Bonnard French, Oil on canvas — The Terrace at Vernonnet
Pierre Bonnard
1939

Veranda Post: Equestrian Figure and Female Caryatid, Olowe of Ise Nigerian, Wood, pigment — Veranda Post: Equestrian Figure and Female Caryatid
Olowe of Ise
before 1938

Panel Ornaments for Ceremonial Sword and Sheath (Udamalore), Yoruba artist, Cotton, glass beads, wood, brass, rope, Yoruba — Panel Ornaments for Ceremonial Sword and Sheath (Udamalore)
Yoruba artist
19th–20th century

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

Ceremonial Sword (Udamalore), Yoruba artist, Ivory, wood or coconut shell inlay, Yoruba — Ceremonial Sword (Udamalore)
Yoruba artist
17th–19th century

Ceremonial ewer, Silver, gilt; embossed, chased and engraved, Portuguese — Ceremonial ewer
Portuguese
ca. 1520–50

Leopard Aquamanile, Edo artist, Brass, Edo — Leopard Aquamanile
Edo artist
16th–19th century

Leopard Aquamanile, Edo artist, Brass, Edo — Leopard Aquamanile
Edo artist
16th–19th century

Saint Ignatius Loyola with Saints and Martyrs of the Jesuit Order, Alessandro Algardi Italian, Bronze, Italian, Rome — Saint Ignatius Loyola with Saints and Martyrs of the Jesuit Order
Alessandro Algardi
Giovanni Andrea Lorenzani
second half of the 17th century

Plaque: Two Portuguese Merchants, Edo artist, Brass, Edo — Plaque: Two Portuguese Merchants
Edo artist
16th–17th century

Salt, Lead-glazed earthenware inlaid with slip, with molded ornament, French, Saint-Porchaire or Paris — Salt
French, Saint-Porchaire or Paris
mid-16th century

Saltcellar with Portuguese Figures, Master of the Heraldic Ship Nigerian, Ivory, Edo (Bini-Portuguese) — Saltcellar with Portuguese Figures
Master of the Heraldic Ship
ca. 1525–1600

Lidded Saltcellar, Temne or Bullom artist(s), Ivory, Temne or Bullom — Lidded Saltcellar
Temne or Bullom artist(s)
15th–16th century

Bala, Wood, gourd, hide, membrane, Malinke — Bala
Malinke
19th century

Pair of bala players, Dogon blacksmith, Wood, metal, applied organic materials, Dogon — Pair of bala players
Dogon blacksmith
18th–early 19th century