Dimensions
184 x 241 x 32mm
Worldview, Symbolism and Culture in Africa, Oceania and North America.
This lavishly produced volume is the first reference work to focus on the symbols, meaning, and significance of art in native, or indigenous, cultures.
This major reference work provides the most pertinent information available on the art of Africa, Oceania, and native North America. Many reference works treat symbolism and iconography in Western art and culture yet, until now, little attention has been paid to these rich artistic traditions.
Entries on each geographical area discuss the art of the region and, through cross-references, lead the reader to additional geographical subdivisions and individual cultures. The major art forms for each culture - including worldview, religion, and society - are treated in detail.
Broad subjects, such as rites of passage, are treated in the general entries. These entries address universal motifs and themes such as the centre, the layered universe, the four/six directions, and architecture as a symbol of the cosmos.
Other major issues included here are colour, the role of animals in art, colour symbolism, and the symbolism of the various parts of the human body. This invaluable reference also details the reciprocal impact of colonization on native art and native art on modern Western art.
