South Africa has been home to some of the most beautiful art forms in the world. From the rock art era of the ancient civilizations to the Bushman or San art forms or contemporary art styles of today, all have played their roles to help make the art and culture of South Africa one of the most unique one in the world.
Presently, the vibrant and talented contemporary artists are carrying forward this tradition of million years by producing some of the most unique and stunning African paintings. History of South African art
To actually know about the colorful and interesting art of this land, you need to go hundred and thousand of years back in time. There are various caves in South Africa bearing proof of ancient African tribal art forms. There are many wonderful art objects of small drilled snail shells inside these caves, which served as habitats for the ancient tribes.
South African art saw a drastic change when Khoisan, San, and Bushman tribes started showing their artistic genius in fluent art forms. The examples of their creative work are still present in several South African cave paintings. Next, it was the turn of Bantu and Nguni tribes, who arrived with their own exclusive art forms, to add more variety to the art traditions of South Africa. Locally rooted art forms
During the colonial era, artists living in South Africa mainly focused on depicting the different themes of the changing world. Whatever they did even today stands out for its remarkable perfection and accuracy. The art forms were mostly on topics like flora, fauna, native people, and the landscape. This era witnessed the birth of artists such as Thomas Baines, who is known worldwide for his creative art form.
With the beginning of the 19th century, the locally rooted art forms began to get new life with the help of painters like Jan Volschenk and Hugo Naude and sculptor Anton van Wouw. However, their creative attempt was basically a form of momentary art which highlighted the poor condition of the nation in 1910. A twist
Artists Maggie Laubscher and Irma Stern gave a different look to South African art during post-impressionism and expressionism in 1930s, . The way they used to play with color and composition, gave rise to a contradictory art form that totally differed from the prevailing norms then.
Even artists like Gregoire Boonzaier, Maud Sumner and Moses Kottler were able to successfully influence the prevailing art forms with their masterly works. Apartheid Period
This period, which ran from 1948 to 1994, witnessed an immense diversity in the overall art forms, ranging from landscape paintings to abstract ones. Also, being very politically active, this era saw some major political influences in the art forms. The art world got artists like Jean Welz who gave a sophisticated touch to several of his portraits, nudes landscapes and still life paintings.
These African art forms, developed by the ancient tribes or the contemporary artists provide an insight into this truly magical land and its rich traditions of art. A great way to get these wonderful pieces of art is to purchase them online where you will get an unbelievable range to choose from and competitive prices.
Posts Tagged ‘African’
South African Art – a Unique Tradition
December 26th, 2009African Tribal Art- All About Beauty and Simplicity
December 22nd, 2009Art plays an important role in the lives of the various tribal communities of Africa. Starting from birth to death, every occasion of human life is represented in some form of art. This universalism of African tribal art makes it popular even in the midst of an art world dominated by renowned contemporary artists in a highly modernised and urban society.
Tribal art is manifested in various forms such as original paintings, jewellery, masks or pottery items. The uniqueness of African tribal art lies in the fact that it has a unique significance and is not intended simply as an item of beautification.
African masks, statues and original paintings have an inherent meaning and every possible step is taken by contemporary artists of African tribal art to keep that essence alive for future generations. The beauty and simplicity of this ethnic art form compels many people to build their own private collections of art pieces.
However, you need both time and money if you are passionate about collecting these pieces. Collecting rare African art crafts can be fulfilling and challenging. Here are some valuable tips for African tribal art collectors:
Analyze the piece
If you are buying an item of art from a museum, you can check the finer details of it then and there. If you are buying from any online art gallery, make sure you are dealing with a reputed gallery with genuine credentials. During delivery check the piece properly. That would also help you to find out whether it has been well cared for or not.
Ethnical provenance
It is important to know the ethnical provenance of the art piece as there is a lot of difference between the art forms of various regions. Moreover, depending upon the region, the art of different tribes come in different price ranges.
Lineage
Tribal art is as old as the civilisation. The older the art piece, the higher is its value in the market. For instance, to purchase an African tribal art piece that dates back to the thirties, you would need to do a lot of research and pay a much higher price.
Maintenance
To keep the glory of any tribal art piece intact for a long duration, it needs proper maintenance. Always remember that extensive restoration at times leads to the decrease in the value of a particular piece.
The ‘Rare’ factor
All tribal art collectors have a desire to possess some rare art pieces in their collections. For finding an authentic, collectable-quality rare piece of art, you need to have an eye for quality and scarcity. Finding a rare piece is not that easy but if you search properly, you can come across some such pieces.
Dimension
Tribal art pieces come in a wide range of sizes and shapes. If you are a true lover of art, size must not matter to you much. What actually should matter is the rarity of the art piece and its quality aspect.
Auction prices
At auctions, buyers many a time bid on emotions which sometimes leads to a much higher price for a particular piece. In reality, the particular piece may not actually be of such high value. Higher prices do not necessarily guarantee superior quality. In that respect, buying from an art gallery, either online or offline saves you from the rigours of bidding and the price tag is also realistic.
African tribal art pieces are definitely a collector’s item. If you want to add some pieces to your collection, browse around reputed galleries and keep in mind these above mentioned tips.
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