Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

The beautiful African objects presented in this book bear witness to the diverse esthetic and technical accomplishments of more than 100 African tribes, revealing the innate beauty of simple objects such as bowls, baskets, and masks, plus elaborate examples of weaponry, textiles, beadwork, and jewelry. 170 color illustrations.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Library Journal Review

Most museum exhibitions and books on African art focus on masks and figurative sculptures, largely ignoring many types of objects common in African cultures that "demonstrate an aesthetic sensibility all the more remarkable for serving the humblest of purposes." In this volume, Meyer offers a splendidly illustrated survey of everyday, primarily utilitarian objects‘furnishings, culinary utensils, textiles, jewelry, weapons, musical instruments, games, pipes, regalia‘that reveal undeniable beauty of design, ornamentation, or display. Less detailed and scholarly than Roy Sieber's catalog African Furniture and Household Objects (Indiana Univ. Pr., 1980), Meyer's work nevertheless offers concise introductions to scores of categories of objects that are both essential to, and revealing of, the nature of African life. Highly recommended for public library collections of African studies or art.‘Dr. Eugene C. Burt, Art Inst. of Seattle Lib. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

CHOICE Review

A fresh approach by the French publishing house of Terrail, this "oversize paperback companion" (rather than coffee-table book) and four related titles are pitched at an alleged "new and growing audience of young art enthusiasts" who "do not generally buy books." It is claimed that "for the price of a [rather expensive!] novel," one gets 200 fine plates of superb but little-known objects, some in field context, plus straightforward essays on African traditional furniture, culinary objects, textiles, jewelry, weapons, musical instruments, game boards, toys, pipes, and court regalia, making this a book well worth perusing. About half the art objects are from the private Barbier-Mueller Museum in Geneva, others from European museums and private collections little known to Americans. Although the ethnic map is useful, the Francocentric bibliography and notes refer to only a few sources in English and far fewer in German, and the museum list is totally inadequate. Even so, the original photography and high quality of the specimens warrant library acquisition. General; undergraduate through professional. D. J. Crowley; University of California, Davis