Arts of Africa: 7000 Years of African Art [Hardcover]

Ezio Bassani (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 18, 2005

The Traditional Art volume presents a panorama of 6,000 years in the history of African art by highlighting archetypal and iconic works from various regions and important historic periods-400 objects beautifully reproduced in full color. This immense artistic and historic fresco highlights the beauty and force of these works from regions now comprising Nigeria, Benin, the Congo, Gabon, Guinea, the Ivory Coast, Mali, and Sudan. The book also examines the influence of African art on 20th-century Western masters such as Picasso, Modigliani, and Brancusi.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Ezio Bassani is an art historian and has written extensively on African art. Among his many publications is Power of Form (Skira, 2002).

Product Details

• Hardcover: 412 pages
• Publisher: Skira (October 18, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 8876242848
• ISBN-13: 978-8876242847
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 1.4 x 11.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,182,347 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Genuinely Beautiful Book, January 12, 2007

By 

Chris (Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Arts of Africa: 7000 Years of African Art (Hardcover)

The book is essentially an exhibition catalogue, but beautifully bound and presented. The book is broken up into a number of sections. Roughly 200 pages are devoted to ancient African art - things you may find only in museums or at high-end auctions, 50 pages are devoted to African ivories, and 100 pages are devoted to traditional African art - the types of art such as statues & masks most commonly associated with African art and collected in the last 150 years or so. There are also about 20 pages that describe the re-discovery of African art in Europe at the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century.

The quality of the pictures in this book is excellent. They are mostly full-page photographic quality pictures that give a fine appreciation of the works discussed.

I'd recommend this book to serious African art enthusiasts looking to extend their reference book collection. This is a great catalogue of really high-grade African art with an expert commentary to accompany it. It could also be a nice coffee table book. Although it does serve as a survey of African art over 7000 years the book isn't set up as a narrative of African art. I think it would be less appropriate for those just starting out in African art - or looking for an overview.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stunning photographs, December 21, 2008

By 

Steven Tatum "Old Hararian" (Blacksburg, Virginia USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Arts of Africa: 7000 Years of African Art (Hardcover)

The special feature of this catalog is the quality of the photography and reproduction. Many of the pieces are familiar, but these are the best pictures you will see of them. The volumes and surfaces are rendered as if you are holding the pieces in your hands, feeling their materials. Maybe it's not virtual reality, but it's as close as close as the printed page can get. There are also pieces from European private collections that aren't so familiar, at least not to me. As with most exhibitions, the works are chosen for their visual power rather than how well they represent the overall production of a region. For purposes of connoisseurship, they are extremely well chosen.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Arts Of Africa : 7000 Years Of African Art, July 22, 2008

By 

James I. Cole "grayspur" (High Desert, California) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Arts of Africa: 7000 Years of African Art (Hardcover)

409 Pages, 11.25" x 8.75", Hardback, very nicely bound and published without a dustjacket. From the Grimaldi Forum Exhibition, Monaco, July 16th - September 4th 2005, Translated from Italian into English. Curator : Ezio Bassani. Published by Skira. Featuring the following chapters in the Ancient Art Section : Nubia, Nigeria, Nok, Igbo Ukwu, Ife, Tsode, Owo, Benin, Esie, Calabar, Bura, Sapi. Hundreds of superior items in full color covering ancient Nigerian sculpture, Dogon sculpture, African ivories and traditional African art, Figures, masks, bronzes and terracotta pieces. Well photographed, good quality paper and production. Highly Recommended.