African Collection

African Collection Fact Sheet

Overview

The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts collection of African art is regarded as one of the strongest in the United States. It is broadly representative of cultures throughout the African continent. More than 300 works spanning more than 2,000 years are included in the African gallery display, titled "Spirit of the Motherland." The collection has particular depth in the art of the Yoruba, Akan and Kongo cultures, among others. Altogether, some 40 cultures from across the continent are represented in the collection. The museum's African beadwork, textiles and full mask ensembles are of particular significance. The works in the museum's collection of African art are applied in aspects of life ranging from the religious and the festive to the political and the everyday. Richard B. Woodward, the museum's curator of African art, says their appeal is not merely in their aesthetic form, nor in their decoration alone: Instead, it lies in the melding of design with symbol and utility.

Highlights

Elephant Mask Ensemble of a Kuosi Society Member
Bamileke culture, 20th century, Cameroon
The elephant is a Bamileke symbol of power and authority, and the privilege of wearing an elephant image is granted by the fon, or king. The indigo and white resist-dyed tunic is trimmed with Colobus monkey fur and red felt. Thousands of glass beads, a beaded necklace and ivory bangles further indicate the wealth of the wearer.

Royal Linguist's Staff
Akan culture, 20th century, Ghana
The Akan culture is known for its well crafted gold objects. A superior example is this gold-leaf finial crafted in the shape of a hen and a rooster. There is a rich tradition of proverbs in the Akan culture, and this staff's design refers to one: "The hen knows when it is dawn, but leaves it to the rooster to announce." The proverb refers to the complex role of a linguist, who serves as counselor and spokesman for a chief.

Chi Wara Headdress
Bamana, 19th-20th century, Mali
Mythology holds that it was Chi Wara who taught the Bamana people to farm. The Virginia Museum's headdress would have been attached to a basketry cap and worn on the head of a dancer who performs at planting, harvest, and at times of instruction for young farmers.

Egungun Costume
Yoruba, 19th-20th century, Nigeria, Republic of Benin
Assembled from layers of brightly patterned cloth and worn over the entire body, this costume is especially striking when the cloth strips flutter as it is danced to evoke the return of ancestral spirits to the community. Each year, more cloth would have been added. Colorful stitching and metallic attachments further enliven the mask.

Plaque Representing a Chief
Benin, 1590-1650, Nigeria
Bronze reliefs such as this one decorated columns in the royal palace in the city of Benin. This portrait of a Benin chief provides a lasting record of the culture's rulers and of court attire. The skill of the artisans of Benin is seen in the plaque from the Virginia Museum's collection - in the treatment of the king's long braids, the decoration on his bracelets, and the careful articulation of the tassel on his sword.

Royal Stool
Luba, 19th-20th century, Zaire
This seat was reserved for the private use of Luba royalty during the installation of a new king or possibly at a royal funeral. Woman play a central role in the Luba mythology, as well as in the Luba social and political order, because they bear children - the Luba future. In the structure of the stool and the accentuation of certain features, the artist has emphasized these female features.

Horn
Mende, 1900, Sierra Leone
This ivory trumpet was used to signal the presence of a paramount chief in the Mende culture. The figure on the horn may represent an ideal of feminine beauty with her layered coiffure, bracelets, and robes with decorative trim. The board in her lap is a mankala, used in a game associated with intellectual skill.

Hornbill/ Crocodile Mask
Nuna or Bwa, 19th-20th century, Burkina Faso
This mask reflects encounters between men and spirits of the bush, represented by the crocodile and the hornbill. The mask would have been used during annual ceremonies, initiations and memorial services. The hornbill is considered to be the first ancestor of some cultures in Burkina Faso, and birds are associated with spirits because of their ability to fly.

Community Power Figure
Songye, 19th-20th century, Zaire
Cavities in the abdomen, shoulders, hips, and horn of these large wooden figures were packed by a Songye nganga with special ingredients to give it protective power. The figure represents an ancestral chief whose protective powers are thought to continue even after his death.

Eshu Staff
Yoruba, 19th-20th century, Nigeria, Republic of Benin
Eshu is the Yoruba god of the crossroads and is known as a trickster. He is a divine messenger who intercedes with the gods on behalf of those who honor him and seek his help. He is also known to garble messages and to wreak havoc when angered. His dual nature is represented by his two faces.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Suzanne Hall, Office of Marketing and Public Affairs, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, 200 N. Boulevard, Richmond VA 23220; telephone 804/204-2704; fax 804/204-2707; e-mail suzanne.hall@vmfa.museum.

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CAPTION: Community power figure, 19th-20th century; Songye culture (Zaire); wood, horn, iron, copper, brass, glass beads, string, hide, raffia cloth, other substances; 32¾ by 8 by 9½ inches. (Photo by Katherine Wetzel, © 2002 Virginia Museum of Fine Arts)