HOMEWORK #1

METROPOLITAN MUSEUM of ART

 

The above piece is from the Africa exhibit. The leopard is from the kingdom of Benin it was created around the late 17th-early 18th century. Made out of brass it is a small piece, but the leopard stands strong and serious with little circles around the whole body. It's teeth are long and stick out. Pieces like this one where used in annual palace festivals where they represented there titles. Some where chiefs and some where kings and others citizens. this piece I feel is very detailed and looks very strong almost as if its standing guard to something. Below is my sketch of the above image.

 This next piece is from the Oceana and the Americas exhibit. It is called Mask (Lewa) from the Wogeo or Bam people from the Schouten Islands. Created in the 19th-early 20th century. This mask was considered to be very special to the people, it represented the spirits called village lewa. The mask big enough to fit over someones head is mad and carved out of wood. It was used during festivals to impersonate the spirits and to help ripen the coconuts that the village headman would distribute around the village. After the festivities were over the mask was then stored away. Below is the picture of the Mask and my sketch of it as well.