Essay

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Art Analysis

In order to complete the coursework assignments, I visited the Lewis Museum in Murphy and explored the African traditional art section of the museum. The artwork which I selected for the purpose of the analysis is Makonde Pot, 20th Century, Anonymous Gift. The artwork was made of clay, by the artists belonging to Congo. The artwork instantly got my attention because of the intricate design drawn on the piece. Although, it seemed quite old, however, it was in perfect shape and represented the mastery of its creator.

Makonde Pot, which was entitled as Anonymous Gift by the museum authorities, is actually a piece of bowl, made of clay. According to the note attached to the artwork in the museum, it was made by the artists belonging to Congo and was made in the twentieth century. There is a very fine as well as intricate design is drawn on the pot, which is not only quite attractive but also represents the richness of the traditional African art, in which such designing is given much preference. In most of the cases, the design is carved through great care and hard work, however, in the case of this particular artwork; it seemed to be drawn on the pot, instead of being carved on it. The design drawn on the pot does not depict any particular form of drawing. Drawing the shapes of the faces is one of the most important aspects of the traditional African art, however, in the case of this pot; it only consisted of some symmetrical shapes, in order to give a more attractive look to the pot.

The Makonde pot is a bowl made of clay by the artists of Congo. The color of the pot is dark brown, and the color of the painting drawn on it is light brown, which is similar to the color of skin. The approximate size of the bowl is eight to ten inches. The artwork depicts the mastery of its artists in two ways. Firstly, the bowl is a handmade piece. The traditional African artists used to prepare the clay on their own and then prepared their piece. Secondly, the shapes drawn on the bowl are the other depiction of the mastery of its artist. The bowl is years old; however, the shapes drawn on it seem quite fresh and well defined even after a long time.

Makonde art is one of the most important forms of African artwork, which has earned great recognition to the people ofthe African origin. Looking at the artwork in the museum, I was able to imagine the struggle as well as the hard work of the artists, which resulted in the creation of this artwork. It made me aware of the love and effort the artist has put in his work. It was not possible for the clay bowl to stay in its original form if the artists had not paid great attention, love, and care into its creation. Moreover, it also made me realize the hard work of the artist in to preparing the clay, making the bowl, waiting for it to get hard and then drawing on it.

The Makonde pot is the depiction of the rich traditional African art and highlights the fact that African artists were not only talented but also quite hard working and determined to their work. It is due to their efforts, as well as talent that their artworks are being exhibited in the museums, in order to acknowledge their efforts and talents. It was one of the most wonderful experiences of life, which provided me the opportunity of praising traditional African art.