I was looking for more in-depth information than was provided. It claims to be a superlative collection of the very best examples, but tells us little about the artwork and the selections are aesthetically arbitrary. A different smaller book,”African Masks” has many of the same pictures, is just as photographically comprehensive, and much more informative. This large book is redundant, but I suppose it is a nice coffee table book. I would rather have the space.
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The popularity of African home decor reflects in the growth of this trend over the last three years. More interior designers and buyers longing to spice up and add a sense of adventure to their homes have sought African decor items to fill that need.
For centuries the continent of Africa has produced inspired works of art people around the globe envy. For example, objects made from stone, clay, woods and other natural materials.
With the popularity of earth-friendly home decor products, African home accessories seem like a natural (pardon the pun) fit for today’s demanding home decor market and consumer.
African decor produced from natural earth friendly materials continues to grow in popularity among interior designers. The most popular forms of African tribal decor is wood figurines, wood masks and animal wood carvings.
These African wood carvings often made from trees that replenish easily because of faster growth – as opposed to other trees. For example, trees such as bamboo, teak and other fast growing varieties.
Colorful African baskets of all sizes continue to grow as a popular home decor african carvings accessory, adding a splash of color and interest to any room. The popularity comes from the double benefits of a decorative piece that’s also used for storage purposes.
Quality hand-made African home decor baskets crafted with various kinds of loom add variety to any home decor. The better quality form of loom is the horizontal pedal loom. The horizontal loom is most popular from the regions of West Africa.
The West African tribes of the Kasai and Kwilu territories located near the Central Congo developed a unique weaving technique. For example, the tribal women meticulously weave plush raffia or fiber on diagonal looms. Next they take the pattern and knot it in broad bands during the detailed weaving process. And finally the expert weaver completes the detailed steps by cutting the overhanging material to an even finish.
Inserting a colorful pattern, done in various ways adds a touch of color to the decorative African baskets. The most popular method? Meticulously hand-weaving with colored threads, the result is a stunning piece of African art that would brighten up any room.
Wrought iron African home decor accessories continues as a favorite because of its longevity. African statues and figurines of tribesmen, tribeswomen and popular animals throughout the tropical forest and East Africa represent consumer favorites world-wide.
African pottery is another popular African decor accessory used to add a look of adventure to any room in your home. African hand-made pottery usually employs many popular and recognized techniques. For example, rounded pots hollowed out with a continuous turning movement of the craft persons hands – at just the right angle and depth.
African gourde containers grow in West Africa. The gourde container, usually cut in half and their hard outer shells used to fashion decorative bowls, cups, plates and other vessels for water and food. These African bowls, decorated with various patterns of stripes and other colorful designs adds interest and authenticity. These African designs not only add interest to the piece, they often tell a story or give a positive message to the reader.
Quality African decor can add zest and life to any room. There’s a category that fits every taste and lifestyle.
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the paragraph below had two senteces which are unclear can you tell me what they are and rewrite the confusing sentences making their meanings more clearOften having been african carvings made of wood, much early African sculpture had not survived to the present day. The oldest examples of African sculpture that still exist are earthenware figures from about 500 B.C. Like mush African sculpture, these figures are characterized by imaginative designs and simple, dramatic forms. As well as from earthenware, African sculptors have made carvings from ivory and bronze.
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I gave the mini book as a gift for my fiance. He wants to collect masks, so to get him started on his collection I wanted to get him a book about masks. I saw the larger version of the book at a bookstore and it was stunning. The photographs in the large books were just amazing. I decided to get the mini book instead because the large sized was almost $80. The mini book is just larger than a credit card and has just as beautiful pictures, although way smaller, as the large version. It made a nice stocking stuffer.
I was disappointed at the size and content. It was a mini book like at the gift counter of a book store. The size didn’t do the masks justice.
The book is an excellent introduction the beauty of African masks for the beginning enthusiast, presenting excellent photographs of arguably some of the most beautiful examples of masks of the various tribes of Africa. For the more advanced enthusiast the book is a let-down – most of the images are recycled from other publications. There is a scarcity of new material and new examples. I can therefore recommend this book only for those who want to get a first visual impression of the wonderful arts of Africa, without getting into much ethnography or cultural background.
A wonderful book filled with great photographs and well wirtten text. Photographs illistrated, to allow the viewer to see every detail of each mask. A very informative book, almost like a museum tour, with the exception that the viewer will never see as many examples of African Masks in one place at one time. 100% Satisfaction
The gorgeous Spirits Speak: A Celebration Of African Masks edited by Peter Stepan with contributions by Iris Hahner gathers a representative sampling of African masks from the world’s leading museums and private collections, choosing samples which reflect powerful artistry and spiritual meaning alike. The power in Spirits Speak lies in full-page color photos of each mask making for a catalog which pairs an introductory section of history and cultural insight with plates which pack a visual punch.
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