Contents

List of figures vii

List of plates ix

Acknowledgements χ

1 T h e art of other cultures 1

Primitive Art? 1

T h e definition of art 4

Art in small-scale societies 5

Aesthetics 6

T h e artist's values 10

Variations in aesthetic tradition 15

Art and art imagery 19

Ideas and objects 24

Orders of representation 29

Religion and art 31

Anthropologists and ritual 37

Conclusion 40

2 Art and social life 41

Uncentralized societies in West Africa 45

Bwami, the distribution of wealth and art objects

Genealogical fictions 58

Realization of ideals concerning leadership 59

Art in traditional kingdoms 60

Cult art in O y o 61

Royal art in Benin 69

Conclusion 79
3 Art and visual communication 86
Australian religion 86
Art and expression 89
Art and language 91
Visual signifiers 94
The cultural basis of imagery 108
Composition and grammar 113
Art in protodynastic Egypt 114
Bark paintings from North-east Arnhem Land 123
Symmetry and redundancy 128
Conclusion 132
4 Style 134
Limits of the imitation of nature 141
Evaluation of styles 142
Style as an aspect of visual expression 144
Correspondences between art and the world of
objects 144
Split representation on the North-west Coast 151
Correspondences between style and mental schemata 160
Geometric and figurative styles in North-east Arnhem
Land 164
5 Creativity of the artist 172
Sources of creativity 178
Incentives to continuity and change 188
Individual creativity in a conservative context: the
Asmat 193
Individual creativity in an innovative context: Nubian house
decoration 202
References 213
Index 221

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