The World Art history knows a number of masterpieces that are significant for some particular period of art. This can be a “Mona Lisa” by Leonardo Da Vinci and even the cave art by the first people. All of them are carrying their own significance in this world and the history of the whole humanity in general. Taking to the consideration the fact that the originals of the art should be lead since the dawn of times, the art of the first people, who lived hundreds of centuries ago, is the fundament and the basis for all the following pieces of art. Also, as we all know that historians and archaeologists are stating that Africa is the cradle of the humanity; consequently, the African art should be considered as the one, which has marked the beginning of the world art in general.
Such a great example of this may surely be the African pottery sculpture, which is representing the religion and the specific beliefs of the first nations in its full sense. It is the Nok and Djenne pottery sculptures in the particular. It is the pottery, which is significant for its special connection with the nature.
First, it is important to talk about the Nok pottery sculpture. In order to understand better this topic it is important to talk about the Nok culture in general – it is one of the most significant cultures on the African continent. It was discovered in the 1928 year as a result of the tin mining activities. It was named after the area Nok, where the materials of this culture were found, where people are living since the 500 BC. It is an ancient iron – working culture, which appears to the world in the “Middle Belt” of Nigeria during the last fifty years of the twentieth century. The materials of this culture have their own name – the Nok Terracotta. The Nok pottery sculptures are mainly consist of the statuettes of humans. The significant feature of these sculptures is in the absolute disregard for the anatomy, as we all know it nowadays and as it should be. Heads of embodied people are much bigger than the whole body. Unmistakably, such sculptures are representing the dawn of the African sculptural tradition.
In order to understand the significance of the Nok pottery sculptures more, it is important to look through some of the examples of this culture. For example, one of the most unique pieces of the African art is the “Nok rider and his horse”. This little sculpture represents a man sitting on the back of his horse and is approximately 2,000 years old. As it was mentioned previously, the proportions of the man’s and horse’s body are not natural: their heads are much bigger than they should have been. Another feature – is that the horse’s head and face more look like the human’s one. Probably, this may state about that special connection and the unification between the people and the nature. Why does this sculpture prove the significance of the Nok culture in terms of the Art History of Africa? Because, first of all, it represents the fact even 2,000 years ago people knew such animals as horses. Second of all, it shows that even 2,000 years ago in Africa the Art was on the high level and the artistic quality of the African masters of sculptures was impressive.
Another example of the Nok pottery sculptural culture is the “Small female headless bust”, which is approximately 2,200 years old. This sculpture represents a typical position, significant to the Nok culture – it the position with hands on the breast. This sculpture depicts a woman, dressed in the traditional clothing with the traditional jewelry: a necklace with bracelets, a belt and the pleated buttockcloth. Despite of the missing head and legs we may still consider this “Small female headless bust” as a great representative of the Nok and African culture in general. Why is it such? First of all, this sculpture represents the way people of those were clothing – their traditional clothing and jewelry. Second of all, it proves the fact of people’s beliefs, considering Mother Nature – as a woman, who gives birth.
On this point, it is important to get deeper into the understanding of what the Djenne culture is and why is this culture so significant. The Djenne culture, aslo known as a Jenne or a Jenn – Jenno culture, has gained its name from the ancient city Djenné, one of the biggest cities of the Northern Africa. Nowadays, it is a territory of Mali. During the archaeological expeditions archaeologists have found some interesting material, which unmistakably brings us to the artistic page of the Djenne culture’s history – the terracotta statuettes that are representing human’s and animal’s forms.
The Djenne terracottas were created between 13th and 15th centuries. They were found in the Inland Delta, which was the heart of the Mali Empire. The impressive part of these Djenne terracottas is the statuettes of warriors with their horses, fully equipped. Many statuettes, apart from the warriors and archers, are depicting women with babies on their hands. According to Teresa A. Meade and Merry E. Wiesner – Hanks, some historians and art experts believe that women were using these statuettes to bring the fertility and in cases with risky pregnancies. Aslo, the Djenne terracottas were representing ancestors of the dynasties that were ruling the people of that time.
In order to understand the Djenne culture in its full sense, it is important to look through some of its significant examples of the sculptural art. First of all, it is the “Seated Figure”, which was created in the 13th century. This statuette represents a man, sitting on the ground with his legs hugged to his chest and his head is laid on his knees. Unlike with the Nok culture, in this case, the rules of anatomy were followed, however, the man’s hands and legs seem to be longer than it is in the real life. The facial expression shows the grief, the anxiety and the sublime absorption of the deep prayer. Why is this statuette important to the Djenne culture? It shows that in the 13th and the following centuries the Djenne pottery sculpture was on the high level, in terms of the artistic and so, historical sense. It also represents the way masters Djenne masters of the 13th and the following centuries were embodying and showing people of their culture to the world.
Taking to the consideration all the information, which was mentioned above, it is important to provide the following conclusions. The main similarity in terms of the art historical significance between the Nok pottery sculpture and the Djenne pottery sculpture is that they are representing the religion of the people, their beliefs and how they were changing through the times. Also, they are showing the level of the masters’ artistic skills, in terms of the creation of these sculptures. However, the main difference is in the age of both cultures. As it mentioned previously in the paper – the examples of the Nok culture are approximately 2,000 years old. The examples of the Djenne culture were created in the 13th and the following centuries. Such phenomena bring us to the point that the Nok culture carries more significance, in terms of the art history, as it takes its originals since the beginning of our era. The figures of the Nok pottery sculptures seem to be more complicated, as they are full of details. This fact brings another point in favor of the Nok pottery sculptures, as they are telling us much more about the culture, the traditions, the customs and the beliefs than the pottery sculptures of the Djenne culture. Finally, the Nok pottery sculptures have to be considered as the ones that carry more important significance than the Djenne pottery sculptures, as they are older, which brings us to the fact that the Nok people were more acknowledged in the art than Djenne people. Of course, the Djenne sculptures seem to show more emotions, however, in terms of the history, the Nok pottery sculptures are giving much more information about the past of their region than any others.
Bibliography
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