Negro Art*

Authors: Markov, Vladimir; Howard, Jeremy

Source: Art In Translation, Volume 1, Number 1, March 2009 , pp. 77-117(41)

Publisher: Berg Publishers

Buy & download fulltext article:

Price: $22.99 plus tax (Refund Policy)

Or sign up for a free trial

Free trial available!

Abstract:

This essay by Voldemaārs Matvejs, published in 1919, five years after the author's death, is a pioneering investigation into the aesthetics of African works of art that he had seen in European collections. Inspired by the use of “primitive” sources by contemporary artists such as Picasso and Kandinsky, Matvejs categorizes African work according to aesthetic qualities. The contribution made by African art in terms of “the treasury of world beauty” is determined and defined here for the first time. Intended as an introductory text for a readership from diverse backgrounds, Matvejs's article is an unprecedented assault on the hidebound and hierarchical conventions of the European art establishment.

Keywords: African art; sculpture; masks; tumuli; colonialism; ritual; symbolism; religion; Russia; avant-garde art

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2752/175613109787307663

Publication date: 2009-03-01

More about this publication?

Art in Translation has been awarded a Highly Commended Certificate in the 2009 ALPSP Award for Best New Journal.
Global in scope and extensively illustrated, this unique and innovative new e-journal demonstrates the vitality of art historical and visual culture scholarship undertaken outside English-speaking territories and cultures. Offering high quality English language translations of seminal works presently available only in their source language, Art in Translation offers a fresh perspective on global art practices, history and theory. It covers all areas of the visual arts including painting, drawing, sculpture, architecture, design, and electronic media.

Supported by generous funding from The Getty Foundation.
Subscribe to this Title
ingentaconnect is not responsible for the content or availability of external websites