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Bezig met laden... Dynasty and Divinity: Ife Art in Ancient Nigeriadoor Henry John Drewal
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Dynasty and Divinity presents a major part of the extraordinary corpus of ancient Ife art in terra-cotta, stone, and metal, dating from the ninth to the fifteenth centuries. Artists at Ife, the ancient city-state of the Yoruba people of West Africa (located in present-day southwestern Nigeria), created sculpture that ranks among the most aesthetically striking and technically sophisticated in the world. Dynasty and Divinity reveals the extraordinarily creative range of Ife art through a diversity of objects that includes handsome idealized portrait heads, exquisite miniatures, expressive caricatures of old age, lively animals, and sculptures showing the impressive regalia worn by Ife's kings and queens. Together, these illuminate one of the world's greatest art centers and demonstrate the technological sophistication of Ife artists, as well as the rich aesthetic language they developed in order to convey ideas about worldly and divine power. The refined sculptures from Ife demonstrate the dignity and self-assurance associated with the idea of dynasty, as well as the results of misfortunes and violence that could befall human beings -- both fates shaped by divine as well as human interventions. Among the many masterpieces from Ife art in this book are a group of life-size copper portrait heads, carved stone animals, and the spectacular seated male figure found in the town of Tada, Nigeria, shown dressed in an elaborate textile. Essays explore the significance of Ife's stone, terra-cotta, and metal sculptures in the context of Yoruba history and culture and consider the significance of this portrayal of an ancient African city. Today, the city of Ife is still a spiritual heartland for the 29 million Yoruba people living in Nigeria and countless descendants in the Americas and elsewhere in the world. Dynasty and Divinity accompanies an exhibition co-organized by the Museum for African Art, New York City, and the Fundacion Marcelino Botin, Santander, Spain, in collaboration with the National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Nigeria. The exhibition will appear at the British Museum, London, as Kingdom of Ife: Sculptures of West Africa. Geen bibliotheekbeschrijvingen gevonden. |
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Ile-Ife is the supposed origin point of what is today Yoruba culture. The Yoruba are the predominate ethnic group in modern Nigeria and are associated with some of the most sophisticated art traditions on the African continent.
Ile-Ife is in southwestern Nigeria. Ile-Ife rose to prominence in the 9th century and flourished for approximately 600 years. Eventually, Ile-Ife was eclipsed by other kingdoms like Oyo and Benin. With no written records that have survived, the legacy of Ile-Ife is principally Ife art and Yoruba cultural traditions.
Ife art is best known for its bronze and terracotta sculpture. It is entirely possible that Ife art was expressed in other mediums like wood, ivory and textiles but the composition of the soil in Nigeria has destroyed these mediums, if they ever existed.
Like other similar books, the primary draw Dynasty and Divinity: Ife Art in Ancient Nigeria is the depictions of the Ife art. The majority of the works depicted are held in Nigeria's museums and thus are less well known. As a whole, they are spectacular and demonstrate a mastery of the medium. The copper/bronze sculptures are particularly impressive.
Also of interest in this book is the discussion of the broader context of Ife art, both its connection to contemporary Yoruba art and a historical connection to Nok art and Djenne art from what is today Mali. The authors make a compelling case for stylistic and technical links between the cultures. Unfortunately, like the Nok culture, there has been insufficient archaeological research to conclusively establish links between these cultures.
Dynasty and Divinity: Ife Art in Ancient Nigeria is a beautiful book showing a fascinating culture. A must have for anyone interested in the arts of Western Africa. ( )