Lost wax bronze sculpture of an African woman fetching water

Therefore, ancient African sculpture should be viewed according to the above criteria. A work should be carefully observed and, if possible, the rituals and customs of the African society identified as the place of birth should be studied. Suspicion of a sculpture or mask with no pedigree can be confirmed or dispelled by professional evaluation.

No matter how deeply entrenched the standards of Western aesthetics are, they should be set aside by African societies with the purpose of their artworks in mind. Just as art movements in Europe and Asia share certain distinctive features, art on the African continent encompasses a variety of cultures, each with its own range of craftsmanship, religion, social and cultural practices, available materials and practices. Therefore, caution and humility are required when viewing African classical art. The provenance of an item is reassuring, but not the only criterion of value. First, the appearance of the sculpture should be checked. A number of factors may point to a particular region of Africa, or even a particular society: the techniques used to work metal (in some cases) and wood (usually), and the nature of the latter, if one can determine; whether or not objects are painted Paint or oil; either rust or sharp edges. Research and attribution can also be guided by how the body is modeled. For each cultural region, specific groups can be identified through unique styles. Hence the need to look carefully; should this work be naturalistic? Are there prominent geometric lines? Are body parts particularly stylized and thus potentially highly symbolic?

While each African nation has its own worship and rituals, the practice of handling objects is common to all. In contrast to the usual respectful distance of Western cult objects, African sculptures, masks and ceremonial objects are believed to be imbued with sanctity during the ritual or ritual in which they are made, after which this sanctity is lost. So African artworks carry their traces. When they accomplish their ritual purpose, they are usually given a patina, which may be damaged and sometimes repaired. Evidence that really deals with ritual purpose is a value criterion that is more important than provenance, and significantly enhances African sculpture.

Traditional African comb used by African women from Malawi. This comb is made from ebony wood and the handle of the comb is handcrafted using traditional African carving techniques. These combs have been around for many years and are carved with various details and patterns, and the designs of old wooden combs can become very delicate. While the ebony combs we have are made in Malawi, you can find these ebony combs all over Africa. Each African Ebony Comb is an "original" piece of art, individually handcrafted and no two are alike, adding to the value of each piece. The raw nature of tribal art is reflected in the variations of the ebony combs depicted, with each piece of a particular style similar but not identical. We offer free shipping on this African Ebony Comb