Digitized Early African Art

HIST2391: Choose a piece from one of these collections or any other digitized African art for your first essay assignment.

I’ve put just some of my favorites below. The Arts Council of the African Studies Association has a list of museum collections of African Arts. You are welcome to explore more with them!

Standing Female Figure, 11th-13th Century

African Art at the Dallas Museum of Art

Lydenburg Head, c 500 CE

Iziko Museums of South Africa

Male Figure, 195 CE – CE 205

Kimball Art Museum

Equestrian and Four Figures, Probably Late 12th/15th Century

Art Institute of Chicago

Bell in the Form of a Human Head, 13th-15th Century

Yale University Art Gallery

Relief plaque showing a king (Oba) dominating leopards, 1530-70

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Brass Head of an Ooni (King) of Ife, 1300s-1400s

African Art at the British Museum

Mande Bracelet, 15th Century

Detroit Institute of Art

Female Figure with Child, 11th-17th century

The Menil Collection

Ethiopian Orthodox Icon, Mid- to late 15th century

Smithsonian National Museum of African Art

Swahili Tombstone

Kenya National Museum

Cat Statuette, 332-30 BCE

Met Museum

Necklace, 11th-15th Century

Brooklyn Museum

Tunic, 500-700 CE

V&A Museum

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