Featuring exquisite examples of tribal arts, the New Orleans Museum of Art's collection of sub-Saharan African art is considered one of the best of its kind in the United States. With new scholarship from fifty of the leading experts around the world, this elegantly designed volume is the only comprehensive book in print that celebrates this prestigious collection, and is the first to document many of its important works. The many fascinating objects illustrated include masks, figures (reliquary, shrine, ancestor, and initiation), textiles, storage and utility vessels, prestige objects, furniture, costumes and marionettes. Also included are rare examples of jewellery and musical instruments made of a fascinating variety of materials including wood, ivory, stone, terracotta, cloth, beadwork and various metals, including gold. Providing rich information on the history and function of each piece within its societal context, as well as full documentation of provenance, this historic volume will be essential to all those interested in African art and culture. AUTHOR: William A. Fagaly has served as The Francoise Billion Richardson Curator of African Art at the New Orleans Museum of Art for over forty years. SELLING POINTS: *The most complete book in print on this prestigious collection, considered one of the best African Art holdings in the United States *Features new scholarship by fifty of the most prominent African art scholars from around the world, all universally recognised as the tops in each of their specialised fields of work 252 colour & 23 b/w illustrations