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African form and imagery : Detroit collects
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African form and imagery : Detroit collects

by Judith Ruskin, Nii Quarcoopome, Michael Kan

This work presents 75 pieces of sculptural art from sub-Saharan Africa dating from the 19th century onwards. Featuring masks, carved figures, furniture, ceramics and jewellery, each object is accompanied by a brief entry placing it in its cultural context.

Accession 669 ISBN 0895581450 Publisher Detroit Institute of Arts
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TAGS
Curated Derived
Art Culture Decorative Arts Ethnology Family and Society Folklore Materials Religion Sculpture Social Sciences
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position_updated_at
2026-06-05 17:02
orientation
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Details

Physical

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Hard Back
dimensions
none captured
spine_text
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Metadata

Book form
LOCATION HISTORY
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2 days, 6 hours ago
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3 days, 5 hours ago
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Last synced 2026-05-21 02:15 (2 weeks, 2 days ago)

Identity

name→ title
African form and imagery : Detroit collects
vernon_id
4558
accession_no→ accession_number
669
vernon_slug
african-form-and-imagery-detroit-collects

Drives Pulse state

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location_name
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isbn_issn→ isbn (when valid)
0895581450

Descriptive

production_date
1996
object_type
Exhibition catalogues/Catalogues/Document genres/Information forms/Visual and Verbal Communication
object_status
Accessioned
brief_description
Africans residing south of the Sahara live in essentially oral cultures. For this reason Africa's visual and performing arts assume enormous significance. Art embodies and expresses the thoughts, lore, psychic energies, and aspirations of the people who produce and use it. African Form and Imagery features 75 objects from private Detroit-area collections and the museum. The book's primary focus is on sculpture in all mediums from across sub-Saharan Africa, including masks, carved figures, furniture, ceramics, and jewelry. To make sense of this diverse and largely unknown corpus of works, this volume provides a deeper understanding of each piece in terms of its function, meaning and contextual significance. It offers cross-cultural perspectives on art production and use in African societies and widens the scopes of knowledge about African works of art.

Subjects & people

authors→ author (initial fill only)
Nii Quarcoopome, Judith Ruskin, Michael Kan
tags→ tags
Art, Arts, Religion, Sculpture, Civilisation, Anthropology, Decorative arts, Wood sculpture, Metals, Manners and customs, Jewellery, Minerals, Worship, Masks, Costume, Clothing and dress, Yoruba (African people), Ethnology -- Nigeria, Gods, Mythology, Classical, Precious metals, Gold, Staffs (Sticks, canes, etc.), Songye (African people), Ethnology -- Congo (Democratic Republic), Native element minerals, Beads, Divination, Iron
subject_people
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Cover image

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Topics and Themes