African Art 

African Gallery

The Crocker’s collection of sculpture, pottery, textiles, and paintings from Africa, Oceania, and the Americas, brings together work form many geographic and cultural regions. The collection spans four continents and features a wide array of objects that demonstrate the craftsmanship, histories, and rich traditions of these artists and cultures.

About the African Art Collection

The Crocker’s African art collection consists of roughly 500 objects from sub-Saharan Africa, made largely in the 19th and 20th centuries. Representing cultures and traditions from a vast geographic area, with particular strengths in West African and Central African sculpture, there are a wide array of works created for events ranging from birth and initiation ceremonies to rites of protection, and objects made for community connection, preservation, and cultural continuity. Examples include exquisite textiles, jewelry, decorative arts, costumes, and pottery, along with sculpted figures, drums, masks, and ceremonial staffs. The collection also includes contemporary paintings and mixed media work reflecting the continent’s continued contributions to modern art.

Works from this Collection Area

A Man’s “Spirit Spouse” (Blolo Bla) Baule people, Côte d'Ivoire (early 21st century) 21st Century 2016.62.2
A Man’s “Spirit Spouse” (Blolo Bla)
Baule people, Côte d'Ivoire (early 21st century)
Altar Head Edo people, Nigeria (19th century) 19th Century 2017.124.2
Altar Head
Edo people, Nigeria (19th century)
Female Figure Baule people, Côte d'Ivoire (19th century) 19th Century 2019.9.3.b
Female Figure
Baule people, Côte d'Ivoire (19th century)
Fertility Figure (Akua Ba) Ashanti people, Ghana (early 20th century) 20th Century 2019.9.2
Fertility Figure (Akua Ba)
Ashanti people, Ghana (early 20th century)
Figure Mumuye people, Nigeria (late 19th–early 20th century) 19th Century,20th Century 2014.79.1
Figure
Mumuye people, Nigeria (late 19th–early 20th century)
Figure Chamba people, Nigeria (early 20th century) 20th Century 2012.92.3
Figure
Chamba people, Nigeria (early 20th century)
Figure Senufo or Dogon people, West Africa (early 20th century) 20th Century 2016.37.21
Figure
Senufo or Dogon people, West Africa (early 20th century)
Figure Reunion Island (late 19th–early 20th century) 19th Century,20th Century 2016.37.32
Figure
Reunion Island (late 19th–early 20th century)
Figure (Iagalagana) Mumuye people, Nigeria (early 20th–mid-20th century) 20th Century 2015.111.2
Figure (Iagalagana)
Mumuye people, Nigeria (early 20th–mid-20th century)
Fortune Serge Attukwei Clottey 21st Century 2022.54.1
Fortune
Serge Attukwei Clottey
Helmet Mask Representing a Maiden Spirit (Agbogho Mmuo) Igbo people, Nigeria (20th century) 20th Century 2018.9.14
Helmet Mask Representing a Maiden Spirit (Agbogho Mmuo)
Igbo people, Nigeria (20th century)
Lerato Dumse, Syracuse, New York Zanele Muholi 21st Century 2023.162.10
Lerato Dumse, Syracuse, New York
Zanele Muholi

Collection Areas