"One speaks softly, like in a sacred place”: collecting, studying and exhibiting Congolese artefacts as African art in Belgium (1850–1897)
This article will try to correct the ‘modernist myth’, dating the ‘discovery’ of African ‘art’ after 1900, by looking at Belgium and its colony at the end of the 19th century. Although Africans themselves were of course the first to appreciate the beauty of their own objects, not only European artis...
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Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
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Department of Art History, University of Birmingham
2015-07-01
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Series: | Journal of Art Historiography |
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Online Access: | https://arthistoriography.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/couttenier.pdf |
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author | Maarten Couttenier |
author_facet | Maarten Couttenier |
author_sort | Maarten Couttenier |
collection | DOAJ |
description | This article will try to correct the ‘modernist myth’, dating the ‘discovery’ of African ‘art’ after 1900, by looking at Belgium and its colony at the end of the 19th century. Although Africans themselves were of course the first to appreciate the beauty of their own objects, not only European artists, but also colonials, scientists and museum curators became fascinated by African artists and their work, including not only sculpture, but also material culture, drawings, architecture, music and dance. The article will trace how African utensils became exhibited as ethnographical specimens and art objects during World Exhibitions and in the (Belgian) Congo Museum in Tervuren. |
first_indexed | 2024-12-16T11:26:55Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-7fa296bcd4b941cd932254d1501be335 |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 2042-4752 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-12-16T11:26:55Z |
publishDate | 2015-07-01 |
publisher | Department of Art History, University of Birmingham |
record_format | Article |
series | Journal of Art Historiography |
spelling | doaj.art-7fa296bcd4b941cd932254d1501be3352022-12-21T22:33:20ZengDepartment of Art History, University of BirminghamJournal of Art Historiography2042-47522015-07-011212MC1"One speaks softly, like in a sacred place”: collecting, studying and exhibiting Congolese artefacts as African art in Belgium (1850–1897)Maarten Couttenier 0Royal Museum for Central AfricaThis article will try to correct the ‘modernist myth’, dating the ‘discovery’ of African ‘art’ after 1900, by looking at Belgium and its colony at the end of the 19th century. Although Africans themselves were of course the first to appreciate the beauty of their own objects, not only European artists, but also colonials, scientists and museum curators became fascinated by African artists and their work, including not only sculpture, but also material culture, drawings, architecture, music and dance. The article will trace how African utensils became exhibited as ethnographical specimens and art objects during World Exhibitions and in the (Belgian) Congo Museum in Tervuren.https://arthistoriography.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/couttenier.pdfCongoBelgiumAfrican artethnographymuseumshistory of sciencescolonial culture |
spellingShingle | Maarten Couttenier "One speaks softly, like in a sacred place”: collecting, studying and exhibiting Congolese artefacts as African art in Belgium (1850–1897) Journal of Art Historiography Congo Belgium African art ethnography museums history of sciences colonial culture |
title | "One speaks softly, like in a sacred place”: collecting, studying and exhibiting Congolese artefacts as African art in Belgium (1850–1897) |
title_full | "One speaks softly, like in a sacred place”: collecting, studying and exhibiting Congolese artefacts as African art in Belgium (1850–1897) |
title_fullStr | "One speaks softly, like in a sacred place”: collecting, studying and exhibiting Congolese artefacts as African art in Belgium (1850–1897) |
title_full_unstemmed | "One speaks softly, like in a sacred place”: collecting, studying and exhibiting Congolese artefacts as African art in Belgium (1850–1897) |
title_short | "One speaks softly, like in a sacred place”: collecting, studying and exhibiting Congolese artefacts as African art in Belgium (1850–1897) |
title_sort | one speaks softly like in a sacred place collecting studying and exhibiting congolese artefacts as african art in belgium 1850 1897 |
topic | Congo Belgium African art ethnography museums history of sciences colonial culture |
url | https://arthistoriography.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/couttenier.pdf |
work_keys_str_mv | AT maartencouttenier onespeakssoftlylikeinasacredplacecollectingstudyingandexhibitingcongoleseartefactsasafricanartinbelgium18501897 |