South of the Sahara: Selected Works of African Art

Book Description
South of the Sahara opens with general observations on the immensely rich and diversified artistic heritage of sub-Saharan Africa. Constantine Petridis examines the relationship between contemporary and so-called traditional African arts, and presents examples showing that many African works were originally part of an ensemble or one element of a performance. He discusses how works relate to ideas about leadership and the supernatural and then relates the many misunderstandings that still exist concerning the history and the chronology of African art. After dissecting the complex issue of style, he concentrates on the relationship between styles and both time and geography. Finally, Petridis considers the little-known issue of African aesthetics, investigating how the aesthetic preferences of the makers and users of the works differ from those of the Western museum audience and art lovers. Forty-two important works from thirty different cultures are featured in color, including objects from the ancient kingdom of Benin and examples of two of Africa’s oldest archaeological art traditions: Nok in Nigeria and Djenne in Mali. Enriched with many field photographs and much ethnographical information, this presentation emphasizes the extraordinary formal invention and spiritual power of the objects.

About the Author
Constantine Petridis is associate curator of African art at the Cleveland Museum of Art and assistant professor of art history at Case Western Reserve University.


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This catalogue presents 42 works, mainly sculpture, selected from the newly re-installed African collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. A full-page color plate is accompanied by an entry describing the work, its probable origins (many are without any record of their provenance) and use, and a photo of similar sculpture being worn or used in Africa. Petridis (curator, Cleveland Museum and art history, Case Western Reserve U.) has provided a general introduction to the collection and types of African art. There is a bibliography, but no index. Distributed by the University of Washington Press. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR


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