Ideal as a spur to creative inspiration, this beautiful book offers an alternative view of African art. The book highlights in close-up and brilliant colour the most breathtaking aspects of workmanship, materials and design found in exquisite objects of wood, stone, ivory, ceramic, metalwork, featherwork, leather, basketwork and textiles. The book opens with an introduction asking What is African art? This sets the art, in all its complex layers of form and meaning, within the context of the myriad cultures and environments which make up this vast continent and examines the artistic traditions that created these pieces. The chapters that follow explore these extraordinary objects and designs in terms of common themes through stunning close-up photographs, allowing the reader insight even closer than a behind-the-scenes museum tour. By showing the complete piece alongside a detail, the book provides a fresh view of each object which often allows for intriguing comparisons between seemingly unrelated objects and media. The selection of details evokes the hand and eye of the most accomplished African craftsmen and women, past and present.