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Kongo: Power and Majesty Hardcover – September 29, 2015

by Alisa LaGamma (Author)
4.9 4.9 out of 5 stars 35 ratings
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A compelling examination of one of the most artistically rich and creative African kingdoms

Artists from the kingdom of Kongo—a vast swath of Central Africa that today encompasses the Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Angola—were responsible for outstanding creative achievements. With the influx of Portuguese, Dutch, and Italian merchants, missionaries, and explorers, Kongo developed a unique artistic tradition that blended European iconography with powerful indigenous art forms. An initially positive engagement with Europe in the 15th century turned turbulent in the wake of later displacement, civil war, and the slave trade—and many of the artworks created in Kongo reflect the changing times.
 
This comprehensive study is the first major catalogue to explore Kongo’s history, art forms, and cultural identity before, during, and after contact with Europe. Objects range from 15th-century “mother-and-child” figures, which reflect a time when Europeans and their Christian motifs were viewed favorably, to fearsome mangaaka, power figures that conveyed strength in the midst of the kingdom’s dissolution. Lavishly illustrated with new photography and multiple views of three-dimensional works, this book presents the fascinatingly complex artistic legacy of one of Africa’s most storied kingdoms. 

Published by The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Distributed by Yale University Press


Exhibition Schedule:

The Metropolitan Museum of Art 
(09/17/15–01/03/16)

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  1. Print length
    308 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Metropolitan Museum of Art
  4. Publication date
    September 29, 2015
  5. Dimensions
    9.2 x 1.3 x 11.3 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1588395758
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1588395757
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Won honorable mention for the 2016 PROSE Awards in the Art Exhibitions category. Metropolitian Museum of Art. PROSE Awards recognize the very best in Professional and Scholarly Publishing (PSP) Division of the Association of American Publishers (AAP)

"Kongo: Power and Majesty is one of two notable and highly readable books on African art this season . . . compelling."—Holland Cotter and Roberta Smith, New York Times, Holiday Gift Guide 2015 section

About the Author

Alisa LaGamma is Ceil and Michael E. Pulitzer Curator in Charge, Department of the Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas, The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 

 

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Metropolitan Museum of Art; First Edition (September 29, 2015)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 308 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1588395758
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1588395757
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 3.85 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 9.2 x 1.3 x 11.3 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.9 4.9 out of 5 stars 35 ratings

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Alisa LaGamma

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Customer reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars
4.9 out of 5
35 global ratings
Latest Addition To My Collection of Congo Art Work
5 Stars
Latest Addition To My Collection of Congo Art Work
Very addition to my already extensive collection of books 📚 on Congo and African Artifacts excellent condition very well bounded a lot of great photographs. I have to find space for it for now looks like the table
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Top reviews from the United States

JayGrant
5.0 out of 5 stars Latest Addition To My Collection of Congo Art Work
Reviewed in the United States on March 14, 2021
Verified Purchase
Very addition to my already extensive collection of books 📚 on Congo and African Artifacts excellent condition very well bounded a lot of great photographs. I have to find space for it for now looks like the table
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JayGrant
5.0 out of 5 stars Latest Addition To My Collection of Congo Art Work
Reviewed in the United States on March 14, 2021
Very addition to my already extensive collection of books 📚 on Congo and African Artifacts excellent condition very well bounded a lot of great photographs. I have to find space for it for now looks like the table
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Dr. Maude Wahlman
5.0 out of 5 stars Important art history
Reviewed in the United States on July 19, 2019
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Liked essays. Was a gift; now I need a second copy to keep.
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alessandra
5.0 out of 5 stars it seems one of the best exhibition on African Art
Reviewed in the United States on November 27, 2015
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Looking at the catalogue, it seems one of the best exhibition on African Art. A good synthesis of every preziosi research.
One person found this helpful
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R. Lewis
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on February 15, 2017
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Beautiful book for the price.
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James I. Cole
4.0 out of 5 stars Great Kongo Power Objects
Reviewed in the United States on November 27, 2015
Hardcover, pictorial cloth boards, (No DJ as issued), 11.25" x 9.25", 308 Pages, 2-Page Map, Historical Map, 2 x 1-Page Maps.
Chronology Of Kongo Kingship. 176 color photos, including field and historical images., Description of works in the exhibition, Glossary Of Kongo Terms, Bibliography. Author : Alisa Lagamma, with contributions by Josiah Blackmore, Christine Giuntini, James Green, Ellen Howe, Phyllis Martin, Adriana Rizzo, John Thornton, and Kristen Windmuller-Luna.. Published by The Metropolitan Museum Of Art, New York & Yale University Press. 2015.

A beautifully presented book with quality paper and binding, includes interesting chapters on Kongo Power & Majesty, The Kingdom of Loango, The Kingdom Of Kongo, European Images of the Kongolese in Books, Kongo Female Power, and Mangaaka. . Four stars or five stars ? This is really in the eye of the beholder, but with so many great books on West African art available in the last couple of years, the bar has been set very high. The selection of much-published objects in this book leave at least one star on the table, but please decide for yourself.
2 people found this helpful
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tarzef
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on October 22, 2015
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Merrily Baird
5.0 out of 5 stars Kongo art: stunning beauty and compelling history
Reviewed in the United States on September 20, 2015
"Kongo: Power and Majesty," a beautiful catalogue published to accompany an exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, presents artifacts of the former Kingdom of Kongo which stretched over a large chunk of equatorial west Africa. Although the kingdom was not coterminous with the two countries we now call Congo, it did cover much of the territory of the French Congo (capital: Brazzaville), Belgian Congo (capital: Kinshasa), and Angola.

Many collectors and aficionados of African "art"--or more precisely put "artifacts"-- have favorite styles associated with a particular region or ethnic group, and it would be folly to cite one as superior to others. Still, it is safe to say that Kongo art is among the most stunning and distinctive ever created on the continent. The show at the Met includes 134 works, created in wood, ivory, and textiles and drawn from numerous museum collections in both Europe and the United States. Luxury goods, often sent to Europe as gifts or used locally as prestige regalia, are prominent in the show. Also well represented and even more dramatic in size and complexity are wooden carvings that specialists employed to control the spirit world for the benefit of local populations. These artifacts in particular demonstrate how accretions such as iron nails, fabrics, and organic materials empowered such ritual objects, harnessing the energy thought to be ubiquitous in the environment.

Given its location on the west coast of Africa and its early and long-term interaction with Europe, the Kingdom of Kongo lost roughly one-third of its population to the slave trade by the mid-19th century. A large percentage of those slaves were settled in the southeast coastal region of this country. Readers interested in learning more about the influence of Kongo culture in the United States may wish to pick up "Kongo Across the Waters," a highly-rated exhibition catalogue published by the University of Florida in December 2013.
20 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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FRANCISCO J. ORTIZ
5.0 out of 5 stars Envío rápido
Reviewed in Spain on February 10, 2023
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Todo muy bien. El libro es fantástico.
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giovanni firmian
5.0 out of 5 stars catalogo mostra kongo a new york
Reviewed in Italy on November 16, 2015
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avevo visto una mostra sul congo a parigi al quai branly. questa, vista solo sul catalogo, mi sembra migliore. diciamo più "professionale"
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Ioannis Svolos
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, generously informed presentation of major part of African cultural and political history
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 21, 2015
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Excellent, generously informed presentation of an aspect of African cultural and political history, bypassing dated colonial and postcolonial attitudes.
Beautifully illistrated, with lots of interesting texts which give us Westerners a thoughtfull, "deep" glimpse into the lives and beliefs of the congolese "others", during the long period that covers the time-span from precolonial times to early 20th century. To be red and enjoyed! Those who treasured the catalogue of the Benin Exhibition some years ago, must add this one to their collection.
3 people found this helpful
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mens-rea
5.0 out of 5 stars Une référence sur le sujet
Reviewed in France on October 16, 2015
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De belles et riches illustrations, des textes de qualité,trés belle publication.
Un des meilleurs ouvrage de référence sur la question...
One person found this helpful
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Rufus Dayglo
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful book, superb quality
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 22, 2019
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As a fan of Congolese art I can easily recommend this beautiful book. Stunningly photographed and good information
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