23 June 2017
In the Kuba Kingdom, men and women work side by side to create highly symbolic cloth known simply worldwide as Kuba cloth. The cloth is fabricated from the leaf of the raffia palm tree, the plant with the longest leaves in the world. The transformation from leaf to textile is easy to understand, but difficult to execute. Discarded leaves are gathered, dried, softened, dye...
16 June 2017
The Toraja are a tribal ethnic group living in the highlands of South Sulawesi, Indonesia. The area they inhabit is known as Tana Toraja, which translates as “Land of the Toraja.” Prior to the 20th century, most of the Toraja people inhabited independent villages. The vast majority practiced animism, the belief in individual spirits inhabiting natural objects and phenomena. In eff...
09 June 2017
As one of the most important officials of the royal court, the Okyeame holds a special form of court regalia when he speaks. Known formally as an Okyeame Poma, the more common name is simply a "linguist’s staff." It is a carved work of art with a detachable finial. Some might say it is the equivalent of a king’s scepter. While the development of the staff was directly influence...
02 June 2017
In tracing the threads of provenance innumerable stumbling blocks are constantly encountered with Chinese furniture. For example, furniture makers typically did not sign their creations. The western idea to immortalize the maker was foreign to Chinese culture, and craftsmen were typically not elevated to notable status. If anyone had their name affixed to a piece of furniture it was likely to b...
26 May 2017
Google “Ancestor Worship” and aside from 2,260,000 results delivered in slightly over half a second, you will immediately find the following description: “Ancestor worship is a religious practice based on the belief that deceased family members have a continued existence, that the spirits of deceased ancestors will look after the family, take an interest in the affairs of the...
19 May 2017
As you walk in the direction of what you think was downstream, you come across an unexpected sight just around a bend: an ancient tree trunk nestled against the bank of the river. Unlike other logs, this one is not hollow, covered with moss, or freshly fallen even though the wood looks intact and the fine lines of bark are visible. It is half protruding from the ground. In a strange way i...
11 May 2017
In traditional African art, which generally refers to the art of sub-Saharan Africa, the concept of motherhood and maternity is a theme surfacing in just about every tribal group. Although most societies in Africa could be viewed as paternalistic or male dominated, artfully rendered maternity figures idealizing and glorifying women were commonplace. Yet, the purpose of this art was not simply t...
05 May 2017
Antique Chinese furniture can be loosely divided into two broad categories: classical and vernacular. Historically, classical pieces were made from frequently imported hardwoods and commissioned by members of the imperial family, ranked officials, scholars, and those connected with the imperial court in some fashion. Like other prized artwork in Chinese culture, classical furniture emphasized t...
28 April 2017
The original Buddha, Sakyamuni Gautama, or Gautama Siddhartha, was born in India in the 6th-5th century BCE. Born into a noble family, he left his privileged life to lead the life of a wandering ascetic and thinker. Meditating on the human condition one night while sitting under a Bodi tree, he awoke to find he had realized nirvana, a heavenly state of absolute beatitude and would not be rebo...
22 April 2017
As one would expect from any ancient culture, over time India has developed an exceptionally rich architectural heritage. This is evident in famous structures such as the Taj Mahal and the Ajanta Caves, for example; but it also becomes apparent in countless other structures dotting the entire country. Perhaps the greatest contribution of Indian architecture is the spiritual content found in man...