The Scramble for Art in Central Africa [Hardcover]

This book is about the expeditions from Europe and North America to collect African art objects at the turn of the century.The contributors to this volume trace the life history of artifacts that were brought to Europe and America from Congo towards the end of the nineteenth century, and became the subjects of museum displays. They also present fascinating case-studies of the pioneering collectors, including such major figures as Frobenius and Torday, discuss the complex and sensitive issues involved in the business of 'collecting', and considers how these objects were used in the invention of Africa by the west.The contributors to this volume trace the life history of artifacts that were brought to Europe and America from Congo towards the end of the nineteenth century, and became the subjects of museum displays. They also present fascinating case-studies of the pioneering collectors, including such major figures as Frobenius and Torday, discuss the complex and sensitive issues involved in the business of 'collecting', and considers how these objects were used in the invention of Africa by the west.The contributors to this volume trace the life history of artifacts that were brought to Europe and America from Congo toward the end of the nineteenth century, and became the subjects of museum displays. They also present fascinating case studies of the pioneering collectors, including such major figures as Frobenius and Torday, discuss the complex and sensitive issues involved in the business of collecting, and consider how these objects were used in the invention of Africa by the West.List of figures; List of contributors; Acknowledgments; 1. Objects and agendas: re-collecting the Congo Enid Schildkrout and Curtis A. Keim; 2. 'Enlightened but in darkness': interpretations of Kuba art and culture at the turn of the twentieth century David A. Binkley and Patricia J. Darish; 3. Kuba art and the birth of ethnography John Mack; 4. Curios and curiosity: notes on readinlÓ,