ART 357 Lecture Notes - Lecture 12: Sub-Saharan Africa, African Art, Ife
Document Summary
Sub-saharan africa, power in african art and culture. Ife, or ile-ife, yoruba speaking peoples, nigeria. artistic culture begins ca. 700 - 900 ce. Benin, edo speaking peoples, nigeria ca. 1300 - 1898, and continuing. Kuba, dem. rep. of congo, 1695 - 1900 and continuing. Some seated, semi-nude, could be warrior or a king. Can see shape of eyes and nose. Heads very large on these figures because head is sight of individuality. Head of an oni (king) wunmonije compund in ile-ife, 11-12th cent. Holes are forehead perhaps held fringe to cover face. Weren"t supposed to look at face of king. Made after death or during life perhaps. A lot of ancestor worship so put on altar. Seat of learning knowledge and seat of soul, beauty. Essential nature shown in beauty of face. Oni was descendent of odudua, original god/king of ile-ife peoples. Hands: holding some kind of axe that shows office.
