What is Ife art?
The artists of Ife developed a refined and highly naturalistic sculptural tradition in stone, terracotta, brass and copper and created a style unlike anything in Africa at the time. The technical sophistication of the casting process is matched by the artworks’ enduring beauty.
What was the art of Ife known for?
The artists of Ife developed a refined and highly naturalistic sculptural tradition in stone, terracotta, brass and copper and created a style unlike anything in Africa at the time. According to Yoruba myth, Ife was the center of the creation of the world and all mankind.
What is the difference between Ife and Benin art?
– apart from bronze, Ife art included terra-cotta and stone while Benin art included ivory and wood. – Ife heads and figures have profuse scarification while Benin heads and masks have marks on their forehead. – Most Benin art works are stylized while Ife art works are naturalistic.
Why is the Ife culture so important?
“The art of Ife and Benin is so important because one gives birth to the other. The Ife art was the most ancient in the forest region of Nigeria, simply because the Ife civilisation goes as far back as 300 – 500 BC. Therefore, it had developed a lot of artefacts, which marks the history of Ife.
Where is Ife art originated from?
southwestern Nigeria
An important urban center in contemporary southwestern Nigeria, Ife’s origins can be traced as far back as the sixth century, when it began as a cluster of some thirteen hamlets.
Who excavated Ife art?
anthropologist Leo Frobenius
In 1910 the German anthropologist Leo Frobenius visited the Nigerian city of Ife and brought several ancient terracotta heads back to Germany. He claimed a Greek colony in Africa produced the incredibly naturalistic sculpture he discovered (Willett 1967: 14).
What is Ife art made of?
Although copper is a difficult metal to work with, the Ife artists through their ingenuity, used it in producing their artworks. They also used terracotta, stone, quartz, copper and brass for sculpting.
What are the significance of Ife culture in Nigeria history?
Ife (aka Ile-Ife) was an ancient African city which flourished between the 11th and 15th century CE in what is today Nigeria in West Africa. Ife was the capital and principal religious centre of the Yoruba kingdom of Ife, which prospered thanks to trade connections with other West African kingdoms.
What is the history of Ife?
Ile Ife, also known as Ife, is an ancient Yoruba city in the southwestern part of Nigeria. Ile Ife is said to be dated back around 500 B.C. when it was founded and is the oldest Yoruba city. It is presently part of Osun State and has an estimated population of 501,000 people.
Who discovered Ife art?
Leo Frobenius
#4: Discovering Ife art Ife art was brought to international attention in 1910 when Leo Frobenius, a German ethnographer, discovered bronze and terracotta heads at Ife. The discovery changed people’s perception of African Art, but Frobenius had a misconception about its origin.
When was Ife art created?
Between ca. 1200 and 1500, Ife developed into a flourishing artistic center. The discovery of Ife’s now famous naturalistic bronzes, terracottas, and stone sculptures challenged European assumptions about the nature of African art and initiated significant debates concerning the antiquity of its past.
What is the history of Ife art?
Ife is world famous for its art. Between 700 and 900 A.D. the city began to develop as a major artistic center. By the 12th Century Ife artists were creating bronze, stone, and terracotta sculptures, some of which are found today in museums in Nigeria, Europe, and North America.
Where is the Kingdom of Ife in Africa?
Kingdom of Ife: Sculptures from West Africa Ife ( pronounced ee-feh) is today regarded as the spiritual heartland of the Yoruba people living in Nigeria, the Republic of Benin and their many descendants around the world.
What kind of art was found in Ife?
Art discovered in the Kingdom of Ife so far includes terracotta and bronze heads and busts, stone sculpture, stools and religious pieces carved in quartz, monumental granite monoliths, as well as statues of humans and animals.
Why was the IFE so important to Africa?
Some of its shrines and groves are still in use and rituals to key gods are performed regularly. Works of art from Ife have become iconic symbols of regional and national unity, and of pan-African identity. Since Independence in 1960 enthusiasm for copies or reproductions of heritage items with nostalgic associations has increased.
Where was the ancient city of Ife located?
The Kingdom of Ife: Nigeria’s Ancient City of Art. Ile-Ife, also known as Ife, Ife-Lodun, or the Kingdom of Ife, is an ancient Yoruba city situated in Osun state in southwestern Nigeria. One of the largest and oldest towns of the Yoruba kingdom, historical evidence dates the holy city’s origin to as far back as 500 BC.