African Animal Figurines: History, Types, and Cultural Significance

If you're not familiar with African sculpture, you're in for a treat. African sculpture is a rich and diverse art form that has been around for centuries. It encompasses many different styles, techniques, and materials, and is often imbued with deep cultural and spiritual significance. From figurative to abstract, African sculpture can take many forms and can be made from a wide range of materials including wood, stone, bronze, and clay. It is often created for specific purposes, such as ritual or ceremonial use, and is deeply connected to the cultures and beliefs of the people who create it.

The art of the African continent is often inextricably linked to and influenced by religious and cultural traditions. African culture was not always recorded through written history. In particular, African figurines have been invaluable in offering a glimpse into the history of African cultures and traditions. These small statues vary widely in both style and meaning depending on their place of origin and the culture that created them.

African sculpture is most often figurative, representing the human form and fashioned primarily from wood but it can also be stylized and abstracted and carved from stone. Traditional or tribal African sculpture typically may be religious or spiritual in nature, be carved from wood, dealing primarily with the human form (and sometimes animal or mythical) and shows a creative spirit and skill that exhibits good balance, craftsmanship, attention to detail and finish and an essence of design that realizes the creator's intention.

The History and Evolution of African Sculpture

African sculpture has a long and complex history, dating back centuries before the arrival of colonial powers on the continent. It has been influenced by a wide range of factors, including geography, religion, and trade. One of the earliest known examples of African sculpture is the Nok culture, which flourished in what is now Nigeria between 500 BCE and 200 CE. The Nok people created highly realistic terracotta sculptures of human heads and animals, which are considered some of the finest examples of ancient African art.

Over time, African sculpture evolved and diversified, with different regions developing their own distinct styles and techniques. For example, the Benin Empire, which existed in what is now Nigeria from the 13th to the 19th century, was renowned for its bronze sculptures, many of which depicted the royal family and other important figures. Bronze casting is a sophisticated means by which Africans have historically expressed themselves.

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The historical art forms that the African continent is known for today was created through a variety of different cultures and beliefs. African figurines were first made thousands of years ago and had an important role in African societies for centuries.

African Figurines and Their Cultural Significance

For example, cultures such as the Yoruba and Fon would often take their art forms to a higher level by using figurines in religious ceremonies. For them, these statues were not simply forms of artwork but also living objects that could help carry out ritual work. African figurines were most often made out of terracotta, which is a type of clay or mud with high levels of calcium oxide.

Groups in central Africa like the Bakongo people believed that their figurines were reflections of themselves. In those parts of the continent, figurines were typically used as a tool to help with rituals and ceremonies. They could be placed in a home or even buried under doorsteps to bring good luck and protection from evil spirits.

Among some African cultures, the figures were used to depict real-world people when they died so that they could have a physical image in their place when interacting with ancestors or spirits from the other world. In contrast, other groups resisted the idea of figurines as a reflection of themselves. The Dogon people in Mali had a negative view of figurines and were more likely to create masks instead. They thought that taking on animalistic forms would allow them to escape human weaknesses that could hold them back from attaining spiritual enlightenment.

Some cultures also believed that there was a danger in having too many idols and images around. The Igbo people of Nigeria believed figurines had very specific purposes and meanings depending on the region where they were created.

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Different Types of African Sculpture

African sculpture encompasses many different types and styles, each with its own unique characteristics and cultural significance. Some of the most common types of African sculpture include:

• Figurative sculpture: This type of sculpture depicts human or animal figures, and can be highly realistic or abstract.
• Mask sculpture: Masks are an important part of many African cultures, and can be used for ritual or ceremonial purposes.
• Relief sculpture: Relief sculptures are typically carved into a flat surface, and can be highly detailed and intricate.
• Abstract sculpture: Abstract sculptures can take many forms, from simple geometric shapes to more complex and organic forms.

African sculpture can often be described as monumental in that the figure or form is not separated from the wood or stone from which it is carved giving it a feel of heavy permanence. The portrayal of the human form is not necessarily proportional but often strives to emphasize or exaggerate specific bodily characteristics that the sculptor is interested in conveying.

They are often used as a form of communication between people and supernatural forces and beings. Their purposes are very varied; bringing fertility, rain, good harvests; warding off disease, natural calamities, evil spirits; helping with social decisions and judgments; commemorating important events, making political statements. They can be extremely large to assure the well-being of an entire community and they can be replicated in a smaller fashion for individuals to be used in their private homes, giving them similar benefits.

Direct images of African deities are relatively infrequent, but masks in particular are or were often made for traditional African religious ceremonies. There is a vast variety of styles, often varying within the same context of origin and depending on the use of the object.

Materials Used in African Sculpture

African sculpture can be made from a wide range of materials, depending on the region and the intended purpose of the sculpture. Some of the most common materials used in African sculpture include:

• Wood: Wood is one of the most common materials used in African sculpture, and can be carved into highly detailed and intricate forms. Wood is obviously most prevalent being the most malleable and readily accessible material.
• Stone: Stone sculptures are typically more durable than those made from wood, and can be highly polished and detailed.
• Bronze: Bronze sculptures are often used in West Africa, and are known for their intricate detail and realistic depictions of people and animals. These 'bronzes' are in fact made of brass, melted down from ornaments arriving from Portugal. Along with new raw material, arrived novel subject matter and a new style of sculpture developed which was a plaque worked in relief and depicting scenes in which the Portuguese often feature in full military garb.
• Clay: Clay sculptures are common in many African cultures, and can be used for both functional and decorative purposes. Nok terracotta figures (ranging in size from 10cm to nearly life-size) and found in NW Nigeria, represent over two centuries of sculptural tradition. Ife terracotta sculptures date from between the 12th to 15th Century. According to Yoruba belief, Ife was the site where humans were modeled in clay by the divine sculptor Obatala. They are portraits of Onis, (kings) and are much more naturalistic in style.

Ivory African sculpture between the years of 1490 and 1530 is a curious phenomenon as it is very influenced by the arrival of Europeans into Sierra Leone, the Congo and Nigeria. Salt cellars, spoons, forks, dagger handles were all produced using decoration of both European and African inspiration, sometimes simultaneously carved in the one piece; for example, women with European skirts and X-shaped scarification marks.

Occasionally ivory sculptures were carved for traditional African means like adorning the handle of a chief or king's scepter or as a pendant mask (a smaller version of a mask carved in replica for personal use). In the 1700's and onwards, ivory tusks known as 'olifants' were carved in intricate detail and became highly prized trophies of conquest, seized during wars and raids. It was considered highly dishonorable if the user let it be taken during battle.

Much of the wood sculpture found today in Africa is 20th Century; it is much rarer to find 19th C, or before, if it is not preserved in a museum, simply because of deterioration of the material through termites or rot.

Symbolism in African Sculpture

African sculpture is often imbued with deep cultural and spiritual significance and can be used to convey a wide range of meanings and messages. Many African sculptures are symbols of power, fertility, or protection, while others are used to represent important figures or events.

For example, the Akan people of Ghana create sculptures known as akua'ba, which are believed to bring fertility and good fortune to women who are trying to conceive. These sculptures typically depict a female figure with an elongated head and a flat back and are often carried by women who are hoping to become pregnant.

Animals frequently appear in traditional African art, but they are rarely chosen randomly as simple representations of the natural world. They can serve as accessories indicating status, such as the horse, who is an expensive animal that also elevates his rider above others. Showing a figure atop a horse is a common indicator of a great warrior, even when horses were rare in the area and thus unfamiliar to the artist.

Powerful animals can serve as metaphors, such as the leopard and elephant who frequently symbolize monarchs or chiefs. These animals often serve as verbal metaphors for powerful figures as well. The Oba of Benin Kingdom, for instance, is referred to as the “leopard of the house,” while his animal counterpart is the “leopard of the bush”.

Liminal animals, previously discussed, often refer to persons of power who straddle this human world and the spiritual world. Kings, priests, and witches have these abilities, which are often executed at night.

Famous African Sculptors and Their Works

There have been many talented African sculptors throughout history, each with their own unique style and approach to the art form. Some of the most famous African sculptors include:

• Ousmane Sow: Sow was a Senegalese sculptor known for his large-scale, realistic sculptures of African figures. Born in Dakar in 1935, Ousmane Sow moved to Paris in 1983, returning to Senegal 20 years later. His process involves neither sketches nor form studies. He builds his subject from the inside out so that they take form from the wire frame.
• El Anatsui: Anatsui is a Ghanaian sculptor who creates intricate, abstract sculptures from discarded materials such as bottle caps and aluminum foil.
• Sokari Douglas-Camp: Douglas-Camp is a Nigerian sculptor who creates large-scale, abstract sculptures inspired by traditional Nigerian art.
• Anton Van Wouw: Van Wouw was born in the Netherlands in 1862, joining his father in Pretoria, SA in 1890 after studying at the Rotterdam School of Art. An accomplished and prolific sculptor, he specialized in busts and portraits of Afrikaans leaders and political figures. In 1929 he produced this sculpture of a black Madonna which is now on permanent display in Johannesburg Art Gallery.
• Ben Enwonwu: Enwonwu was a painter and sculptor, one of the first true African modernists who by 1946 was exhibiting in a group show alongside Picasso in Paris. In 1956 he was commissioned to sculpt a statue of Queen Elizabeth II, the first African artist to be asked to do so.

The following artists are sculptors born after 1900's and before 1940. They have produced work that has been embraced by Western and African art worlds alike and their work, often displayed publicly, has made an invaluable contribution to the development of 3-dimensional art on the continent.

Where to See African Sculpture

If you're interested in seeing African sculpture up close, there are many places where you can do so. Many museums around the world have extensive collections of African art, including sculpture, and there are also many galleries and exhibitions that focus specifically on African sculpture. Some of the best places to see African sculpture include:

• Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Cape Town, South Africa): Situated in a repurposed grain silo, the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (MOCAA) is the largest museum of contemporary African art on the continent. MOCAA exhibits cutting-edge works from established and emerging artists, offering a platform to explore themes such as identity, social change, and globalization.
• Egyptian Museum (Cairo): Located in Cairo, is home to one of the world's most extensive collections of ancient Egyptian artefacts. Housing over 120,000 items, including the iconic treasures of Tutankhamun, the museum provides a fascinating insight into the grandeur and mysteries of ancient Egypt, from intricate carvings to mesmerizing statues.
• Museum of Black Civilizations (Dakar, Senegal): Opened in 2018, the Museum of Black Civilizations in Dakar celebrates Africa's vast cultural heritage and its diaspora. The museum showcases over 14,000 artworks and artefacts, spanning various regions and time periods. Its exhibits explore the historical achievements, contributions, and resilience of black civilizations globally, emphasizing the interconnectedness of African cultures.

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