African art

Introduction
Overview
- General characteristics
- Style, tribe, and ethnic identity
Sculpture and associated arts
- West Africa
  - Western Sudan
    - Dogon and Tellem
    - Bambara (Bamana)
    - Djenné-Mopti
    - Senufo
    - Bwa and Mossi
  - Guinea Coast
    - Bidyogo (Bidjogo)
    - Baga
    - Mende
    - Dan-We
    - Asante, Fante, and Baule
    - Fon
  - Nigeria
    - Nok
    - Daima and Sao
    - Ife and Yoruba
    - Edo peoples
    - Ijo
    - Igbo
    - Ibibio
    - Ekoi
    - Fulani
    - Hausa
    - Nupe
    - Other groups in northern Nigeria
- Central Africa
  - Cameroon grasslands
  - Gabon
  - Congo (Kinshasa) and Congo (Brazzaville)
    - Lower Congo (Kongo) cultural area
    - Kuba cultural area
    - Luba cultural area
    - Northern cultural area
    - Northeast cultural area
    - Northwest cultural area
- East Africa
  - Sudan and South Sudan
  - Horn of Africa
  - Region of Lakes Victoria and Tanganyika
  - Coastal East Africa
- Southern Africa
  - Makonde
  - Mbunda and others
  - Southern Bantu
Other visual arts
- Pottery
- Textiles
  - Weaving the yarn
  - Embellishing the woven cloth
  - Other fabrics
- Personal decoration
African art in the 20th century and beyond

References & Edit History Related Topics

Images & Videos

raffia-fiber cloth

Observe the Dogon Dancers of Mali Performing Wearing Kanaga Masks

Chiwara headdress

image of Gun, the god of iron and war

Nok pottery head

Related Questions

raffia-fiber cloth — raffia-fiber cloth Raffia-fiber cloth, made by the Kuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, mid-20th century; in the Honolulu Academy of Arts.

African art

visual arts

Written by

John PictonAll

Fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

African art, the visual arts of native Africa, particularly sub-Saharan Africa, including such media as sculpture, painting, pottery, rock art, textiles, masks, personal decoration, and jewelry. For more general explorations of media, see individual media articles (e.g., painting, sculpture, pottery, and textile). For a discussion of the characteristics, functions, and forms of masks, see mask. The architecture of Africa is treated in a separate article; see African architecture. It is difficult to give a useful...

Discover the world with Britannica

Subscribe to Continue Reading

Free Trial | No Ads | Exclusive Content

Explore Subscriptions

DNA

Right

Mobile