African Art Flashcards

1
Q

What is the Ife sculpture made of

A

Bronze

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2
Q

How tall is the Ife sculpture

A

40 cm tall

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3
Q

What does the Ife sculpture do

A

If honours the king, head of the Yobuta tribes.

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4
Q

What I soften the case in African sculptures

A

The proportions are often exaggerated symbolically.

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5
Q

Why was the Ife sculptures head enlarged

A

To indicate intelligence and leadership.

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6
Q

What method is used with the Ife sculpture

A

The lost wax method

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7
Q

What is the lost wax method

A

It is a method whereby a wax figure is constructed. A clay mould is then made, and when dry is heated to remove the wax. Molten metal is then poured into the mould

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8
Q

How fed the ife sculpture contrast with the geometric carved African figures

A

The Ife sculpture has a more naturalistically rounded face and figure because it was made in soft wax.

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9
Q

How is a king depicted in Ife sculptures

A

He displays a symbolic headpiece and decorative jewellery befitting of royalty

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10
Q

What does the formal, symmetric portrait of a queen demonstrate

A

It demonstrates the peak reached by the Benin sculptors in the 16th century.

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11
Q

What method would have been used to construct the sculpture of the queen

A

The lost wax method

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12
Q

Why would the lost wax nights have been used

A

To create the 3D rounded features.

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13
Q

What is the queen wear in on her head

A

A high cone-like headdress with a woven pattern on it created by plaited hair

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14
Q

What is worn around the queen’s neck

A

A tight choker enclave probably typical of her tribal customs

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15
Q

What does the foot price of the queen show

A

Is shows images of fish

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16
Q

What does the queen’s face show

A

It shows serenity and a composed expression.

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17
Q

What is the expression on the queen’s face similar to

A

Faces Serb in renaissance art

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18
Q

How tall is the sculpture from central Africa

A

About 35cm

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19
Q

Where is the sculpture from central Africa found

A

Bear the Congo river previously known as Zaire

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20
Q

What two facts must be remembered when looking at the date of the sculpture from central Africa

A

The sculpture was made out of wood which does not last long ( neither do clay or woven objects). Secondly, although the rest of the world might have been developing rapidly, there were many people how were not.

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21
Q

What did the sculpture from central Africa most likely a repository for

A

The soul of a deceased noble woman.she would have been regarded as a power figure and the tribal people would pray to her and offer gifts.

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22
Q

What are some various characteristics seen on the sculpture from central Africa

A

The features tend to be geometric and simplifies
The head is enlarged showing spirituality
The body is small as it is less important
The baby is symbolically offered
The brass decorations are geometric

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23
Q

What is the large head in the sculpture from central Africa represent

A

Spirituality

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24
Q

What does the small body in the sculpture from central Africa represent

A

The unimportance of the body.

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25
Q

What are power figures

A

They are carved wooded sculptures that have bred imbued with spiritual power by a ritual specialist

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26
Q

What kind of ingredients can be found in power figures

A

Herbal medicine, animal parts, pieces of metal and a variety of fibres

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27
Q

What were the ingredients in the power figures designed to do

A

Attract and concentrate spiritual power within the figure to intensify their strength

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28
Q

What were most of the power figures created to do

A

The added very specific issues, such as healing, divination, protection o oath taking.

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29
Q

Who were the power figures created for

A

Most of the power figures were created for an individual who may share those powers with others. Some however were intended to serve an entire community, promoting a more general state of well-being

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30
Q

Why were African masks created

A

To play an important role in a ritual or ceremony.

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31
Q

What was the purpose of the African masks

A

Frighten people away from having secret meetings

Represent special ancestors or spirits in a festival or ritual

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32
Q

What happens when an African mask is worn

A

The person wearing it is transformed into the personality concerned. This is why the figure is usually completely covered

33
Q

What is the difference between western art and African art

A

In the western world, people display masks as decoration. The African tribe would always use it in a multi-media display

34
Q

What did the multi-media display include

A

Sounds, scents, movements, costumes

35
Q

What were the masks made out of

A

They were carved out of wood and decorated by engravings, burning, oiling, and adding beads, shells, horns and fibers

36
Q

Where is the Mboom mask from

A

It is from Zaire

37
Q

How tall is the Mboom mask

A

30 tall

38
Q

What is is made out of

A

Wood

39
Q

How is the Mboom mask worn

A

It fits over the head

40
Q

What does it’s prominent forehead represent

A

A primordial ancestor that would empower an initiating ceremony.

41
Q

What is on the surface of the Mboom mask

A

Geometric patterns.

42
Q

What is on the jawline of the Mboom mask

A

Shells combined with beads

43
Q

What are around the eyes of the Mboom mask

A

A band of beefs

44
Q

What delineates the nose and lips of the Mboom mask

A

Beads

45
Q

What is on the back I the mask

A

It is also decorated because it forms a helmet

46
Q

What do D’Mba masks represent

A

An ideal image of a woman at the height of her power. It represents goodness and light

47
Q

What happens when the D’Mba mask is used in a dance

A

It encourages mothers to have strength to beat children and raise them to adulthood.

48
Q

Where were the D’Mba masks used

A

At weddings and thanksgiving ceremonies

49
Q

Who wore the D’Mba masks

A

Sting male dancers wore the heavy structure on their heads and shoulders aided by the 4 supports.

50
Q

How did the strong male dancer dress ( besides the D’Mba mask)

A

He was hidden by a full costume of raffia and textiles that emphasised the hips, the dancers looked through two holes between the breasts.

51
Q

How did westerners initially see African masks

A

As primitive and not as art

52
Q

When did artists start using African art as inspiration

A

Only at the beginning of the 20th century

53
Q

Who is an artist that used African art as inspiration

A

Picasso

54
Q

How was Picasso influenced by African art

A

By the fragmentation he saw in African art.

55
Q

How did Picasso change his artworks to look more African

A

He changed his figures and faces into faceted forms and painted mainly in monochromatic shade of natural browns, blues or greens

56
Q

Who is a South African artist who admired African carvings

A

Cecil Skotnes. He created woodcuts and later started painting the wood cuts he used too make his prints. Theo led him to a new technique

57
Q

What is a woodcut

A

Wood panel cut into a relief design and inked

58
Q

What did the settlement at great Zimbabwe form

A

A trading network across the plateau to the coast.

59
Q

What has been excavated from the settlements at great Zimbabwe

A

Cinese ceramics, indian beads, Islamic glasswear amd persian pottery

60
Q

What did the artefact prove

A

It proved that Shona people are trading widely in gold and ivory at the time of the Middle Ages in Europe.

61
Q

Who constructed dwelling places on hills

A

A wealthy ruling class

62
Q

What were the dwelling on top of the hills like

A

They were surrounded by thick curved walls.

63
Q

How many ruins known as ‘madzimbabwe’ have been found

A

250

64
Q

Who discovered the ruins

A

The local people

65
Q

What is the largest and most famous of the ruins

A

Great Zimbabwe

66
Q

What were the curved walls and towers built out of

A

Granite

67
Q

Where is granite found

A

It is plentiful on the plateau.

68
Q

How was the granite used to build

A

In was cut and shaped to form a dry stone construction

69
Q

What is a tyrant stone construction

A

They were kept in place using arrangement and weight, not mortar.

70
Q

How were the stones at the top of the curved walls arranged

A

They were arranged at an angle to create a herringbone pattern.

71
Q

What was found in the enclosure

A

Birds

72
Q

What were the birds carved out of

A

They were carved from large pieces of grey-green soap stone.

73
Q

How big are the birds

A

About 30 cm each

74
Q

What played an important role on the lives of the tribes in Zimbabwe

A

Symbols

75
Q

What did the Zimbabwe birds symbolise

A

They had a symbol of authority of the chief or a king

76
Q

What did the bird look like

A

The body was similar to that of an eagle, but it had human like limbs with toes and not claws.

77
Q

What were the birds thought to represent

A

The ancestors because they fly and can be the messengers to the spirits.

78
Q

What do on the plinth of the sculpture

A

There is a relied form of a crocodile, a symbol of royalty