Editing African art (section)

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|photo1a= Nok sculpture Louvre 70-1998-11-1.jpg
|photo2a= Plaque- Warrior and Attendants MET DT1231.jpg
|photo3a= Brooklyn Museum 61.33 Ndop Portrait of King Mishe miShyaang maMbul (5).jpg
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| caption = Top: Seated [[Nok culture|Nok]] figure (5th century&nbsp;BCE-5th century&nbsp;CE); Center: [[Benin art|Benin]] plaque with warriors and attendants (16th-17th century); Bottom: [[Kuba art|Kuba]] [[Ndop (Kuba)|n'dop]], king Mishe miShyaang maMbul (18th century)<ref>{{cite book |last1=Fortenberry|first1=Diane|title=The Art Museum |date=2017|publisher=Phaidon|isbn=978-0-7148-7502-6|pages=309, 314|language=en}}</ref>
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'''African art''' encompasses modern and historical paintings, [[Sculpture|sculptures]], installations, and other [[visual culture]]s originating from indigenous [[African diaspora|African communities]] across the [[African continent]]. The definition may also include the art of the [[African diaspora]]s, such as art in [[African-American]], [[Caribbean]], or [[South American]] societies inspired by African traditions. Although diverse, there are unifying artistic themes across the visual cultures from the continent of [[Africa]].<ref>[[Suzanne Blier]]: "Africa, Art, and History: An Introduction", ''A History of Art in Africa'', pp. 15–19</ref> Often, art was not created for its own sake, but for social, political, or religious purposes. African art is characterized by an emphasis on conceptual or symbolic representations, rather than imitating nature, aiming to capture the subject's spiritual essence.<ref name=":8">{{cite encyclopedia |title=Art and architecture, History of African |encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of African History |publisher=[[Fitzroy Dearborn]] |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=umyHqvAErOAC&pg=PA636 |last=Lawal |first=Babatunde |date=2005 |editor-last1=Shillington |editor-first1=Kevin |pages= |isbn=1-57958-245-1 }}</ref>

[[Pottery#Africa|Pottery]], [[Metalworking|metalwork]], [[sculpture]], [[Architecture of Africa|architecture]], [[textile art]], and [[fiber art]] are important [[Visual arts|visual art]] forms across Africa and may be included in the study of African Art. The term “African art” typically excludes the art of [[North Africa]]n regions along the [[Mediterranean]] coast, which have historically been influenced by distinct traditions such as Berber and Islamic art. For more than a millennium, the art of such areas had formed part of [[Berbers|Berber]] or [[Islamic art]], with many particular local characteristics. [[Islamic art]] is very important in their culture, reflecting their historical snd cultural heritage.

[[Ethiopian art]], with a longstanding [[Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church|Christian tradition]],<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ross |first1=Emma George |title=African Christianity in Ethiopia |url=https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/acet/hd_acet.htm |work=The Metropolitan Museum of Art |date=October 2002 }}</ref> is also different from that of most African art, where [[Traditional African religion]] (with [[Islam]] prevalent in the north) was dominant until the 20th century.<ref name="nytimes">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/28/arts/artsspecial/how-african-artifacts-became-art-inspiring-modernists.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0|last=Kino|first=Carol|title=When Artifact 'Became' Art |newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=2014-12-12|date=2012-10-26}}</ref> African art includes [[Prehistory|prehistoric]] and [[Ancient history|ancient]] art, the Islamic art of [[West Africa]], the [[Christian art]] of [[East Africa]], and the traditional [[Artifact (archaeology)|artifacts]] of these and other regions. Many [[African sculpture]]s were historically made of wood and other natural materials that have not survived from earlier than a few centuries ago, although rare older pottery and metal figures can be found in some areas.<ref>Breunig, Peter (2014), [https://books.google.com/books?id=BBn1BQAAQBAJ ''Nok: African Sculpture in Archaeological Context''], Frankfurt: Africa Magna Verlag, {{ISBN|978-3-937248-46-2}}.</ref> Some of the earliest decorative objects, such as [[Shell jewelry|shell beads]] and evidence of paint, have been discovered in Africa, dating to the [[Middle Stone Age]].<ref name="Mitchell 2013 p. 375">Mitchell, Peter and Lane, Paul (2013) ''The Oxford Handbook of African Archaeology''. Oxford University Press. p. 375. {{ISBN|0191626147}}</ref><ref name="Henshilwood et al. 2011">{{cite journal | last1 = Henshilwood | first1 = Christopher S. | display-authors = etal | year = 2011 | title = A 100,000-Year-Old Ochre-Processing Workshop at Blombos Cave, South Africa | journal = Science | volume = 334 | issue = 6053| pages = 219–222 | doi = 10.1126/science.1211535 | pmid = 21998386 | bibcode = 2011Sci...334..219H | s2cid = 40455940 }}</ref><ref name="McBrearty Brooks 2000">
{{cite journal |last1= McBrearty |first1= Sally |last2= Brooks |first2= Allison |date= 2000 |title= The revolution that wasn't: a new interpretation of the origin of modern human behavior |journal= Journal of Human Evolution |volume= 39 |issue= 5 |pages= 453–563 |doi= 10.1006/jhev.2000.0435 |pmid= 11102266 |bibcode= 2000JHumE..39..453M }}</ref> [[Traditional African masks|Masks]] are important elements in the art of many people, along with human figures, and are often highly stylized. There exist diverse styles, which can often be observed within a single [[Country of origin|context of origin]] and may be influenced by the intended use of the object. Nevertheless, broad regional trends are discernible. Sculpture is most common among "groups of settled cultivators in the areas drained by the [[Niger]] and [[Congo River|Congo]] rivers" in [[West Africa]].<ref name="Honour & Fleming, 557">Honour & Fleming, 557</ref> Direct images of deities are relatively infrequent, but masks in particular are or were often made for ritual ceremonies. Since the late 19th century, there has been an increasing amount of [[African art in Western collections]], the finest pieces of which are displayed as part of the history of [[colonization]].

African art had an important influence on European [[Modernism|Modernist]] art,<ref name="African Influences in Modern Art">Murrell, Denise. [http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/aima/hd_aima.htm "African Influences in Modern Art"], ''[[The Metropolitan Museum of Art]]'', April 2008. Retrieved on 31 January 2013.</ref> which was inspired by their interest in abstract depiction.<ref name=":8" /> It was this appreciation of African sculpture that has been attributed to the very concept of "African art", as seen by European and American artists and art historians.<ref>{{Cite journal|jstor = 3774788|title = Is There Such a Thing as African Art?|last1 = Mark|first1 = Peter|journal = Record of the Art Museum, Princeton University|year = 1999|volume = 58|issue = 1/2|pages = 7–15|doi = 10.2307/3774788}}</ref>

West African cultures developed [[bronze casting]] for [[reliefs]], like the famous [[Benin Bronzes]], to decorate palaces and for highly [[Realism (arts)|naturalistic]] royal heads from around the [[Edo people|Bini]] town of [[Benin Empire|Benin City, Edo State]], as well as in terracotta or metal, from the 12th–14th centuries. [[Akan goldweights|Akan gold weights]] are a form of small metal sculptures produced from 1400–1900; some represent [[proverb]]s, contributing a narrative element rare in African sculpture; and royal regalia included gold sculptured elements.<ref>Honour & Fleming, 556–561</ref> Many [[West Africa|West African]] figures are used in religious rituals and are often coated with materials placed on them for ceremonial offerings. The [[Mandé peoples|Mande]]-speaking peoples of the same region make pieces from wood with broad, flat surfaces and arms and legs shaped like cylinders. In [[Central Africa]], however, the main distinguishing characteristics include heart-shaped faces that are curved inward and display patterns of circles and dots.