Yoruba: Sculpture of West Africa. – Fagg, William and John Pemberton 3rd (Edit Bryce Holcombe).

Description

The Yorbura (more than 10 million people living predominantly in South Western Nigeria) have, for centuries, been the most prolific- art producing people of Black Africa. The tradition of their art reflects back into the first millennium AD when they myths and legends arose that came to form the basis of their political and religious systems, and when an unusual process of urbanization crystallized in the formation of a network of city state kingdoms. The art forms developed in the ancient city states have been widely studied ( especially those of the kingdom of the Ife during the 12th -15th centuries) but this is the first book to concentrate on what is considered the modern era particularly early 20th century and, in particularly, on the sculpture of that period, the diversity sophistication, and beauty of which are virtually unequaled in tradition African Art.