The Anthropology of Art / Edition 2

by Robert Layton

Overview

Robert Layton provides an authoritative introduction to the richness and diversity of art forms in non-Western societies. He addresses the problems of aesthetic appreciation across cultures, the varied uses of art, and the fundamental problem of what constitutes "art" in societies varying from the traditional kingdoms of West Africa, with their specialist craftsmen using precious metals, to Australian hunter-gatherers, with their sand paintings and body decoration. Art forms discussed include bark, sand and rock painting, ivory, bone and wood carving, brass casting, masks, and house and body decoration. To understand the meaning of these diverse productions demands an understanding of cultural contexts. Layton relates particular art productions to rituals, myths and power relations. He also discusses and illustrates current perspectives on art within anthropological and sociological theory. This is a revised version of a book first published in 1981.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521368940
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	08/30/1991
Edition description:	Revised
Pages:	276
Sales rank:	661,724
Product dimensions:	6.02(w) x 9.02(h) x 0.59(d)

Table of Contents

List of figures; List of plates; Acknowledgements; 1. The art of other cultures; 2. Art and social life; 3. Art and visual communication; 4. Style; 5. Creativity of the artist; References; Index.

Editorial Reviews

"...a sparkling introduction for anyone wishing to understand something of the art of exotic societies and the contribution made by anthropology to the study of it." The Times Literary Supplement

From the Publisher