These two books by the same publisher are very similar in a number of ways?they are designed to accompany major European exhibitions; contain hundreds of visually impressive photos of some of the finest works of African artistry; and cover the art of Africa while emphasizing the sculpture of West and Central Africa. These similarities aside, the books differ significantly in terms of the nature of the text and the focus of the content. Early in the 20th century a small number of European collectors acquired significant collections of African art. Han Coray (1880-1974), a modern art dealer in Zurich, was one of the earliest of those collectors, and his extensive collection eventually became the property of the Zurich University Ethnographic Museum. African Art is a catalog of that collection, with over 300 photographs of the objects. While most of the catalog entries provide useful information about the objects, some are unsatisfyingly only descriptive. More than a dozen essays are also provided, while some are scholarly and informative, many are personal reflections on and reactions to the collector and the collection, which some readers may not find especially enlightening. African Masks explores the nature of one of the most important categories of art in Africa. An excellent introductory essay by scholars Maria Kecskesi and Lazlo Vajda succinctly discusses the roles of masks in African societies and explains variations in their form and aesthetics. Almost 250 masks in the Barbier-Mueller Museum collection are cataloged with brief entries and small but fine black-and-white photos. The major portion of the book consists of large-format color plates of selected masks with extensive, scholarly notes by Hahner-Herzog. Many of the plates are accompanied by outstandingly useful field photos of the masks as worn by fully costumed performers in their indigenous context. Both books are highly recommended for any public or academic library with an interest in art, anthropology, and/or African studies.?Eugene C. Burt, Art Inst. of Seattle Lib.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Product Description
Han Coray (1880-1974) was one of the first and most important European collectors of African art. He acquired his collection for the most part from the famous Parisian art dealer Paul Guillaume in the first half of the 1920's. This extensive collection of African art, one of the finest in the world, was purchased by Zurich University's Volkerkundemuseum in 1940. "African Art from the Han Coray Collection 1916-1928" contains a selection of 202 of the collection's most important works, accompanied by informative texts. Featured are not only wooden sculptures and masks, but also ivories, textiles, and metal works. West and central African artistic traditions are presented, with a special focus on central African art.
See all Editorial Reviews