African and Tribal art generally refers to the visual arts of the societies of sub-Saharan Africa. Although comprising hundreds of cultures in a multitude of countries, it is difficult to place a general term such as “African Art” on such a wide expanse of varieties, traditions, and styles. None-the-less, some of the most notable examples found in mainstream institutions and history books come to us from Mali (Bambara, Dogon, Djenne), The Ivory Coast (Senufo, Baule, Guro), Nigeria (Yoruba, Benin, Nok), Gabon (Punu, Fang), Ghana (Akan, Asante, Fanti), and Burkina Faso (Bura, Lobi). Most well-known for its extremely creative use of natural elements and its dynamic and bold productions in wood, bronze, and gold, these incredibly innovative creations often capture the subject in its most fundamental physical form, while at the same time expressing insightful layers of subtlety from the spiritual dimension. It’s art is widely praised and appreciated by art history lovers and collectors alike for its ability to portray a potent individualism while simultaneously maintaining stylistic tendencies formulated over the centuries bound by a respect for ancestral techniques.
African art was highly functional and most often created for wealthy patrons or ceremonial and ritual use. Often figurative but rarely naturalistic, African Art portrays the dynamic nature of the human form in some of the most brilliant, captivating, and unique ways to be found anywhere in the history of art. Emphasis and treatment of the human figure may symbolize the living or the dead, may reference chiefs, dancers, or various trades such as drummers or hunters, or may even be an anthropomorphic representation of a god. Exceptionally broad in not only its style but its subjects, African Art offers the collector and student alike a never-ending resource for inspiration, knowledge, and appreciation. The Barakat Gallery is proud to offer one of the largest collections of museum quality authentic African art for sale anywhere. From the refined masks of the Dan to the remarkable bronze busts of the Ife, and everything in between, the Barakat Collection is an unparalleled anthology of African and Tribal art from the first millennia BC to the modern period.