From Africa to Quai Branly: Histories of the Collections
The result of the collaboration between Louvre Abu Dhabi and Musée du Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac in Paris, and supplemented by numerous loans from African institutions, Kings and Queens of Africa, Forms and Figures of Power features a tour of more than 300 objects from the collections of Musée du Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac. This impressive exhibition – the first show devoted to sub-Saharan Africa to be held in the Gulf – presents a selection of remarkable pieces that illustrate the material culture of the African continent.
The African continent exhibits a rich history with deep connections to the rest of the world. From Antiquity to the Middle Ages, Africa was the cradle of great civilisations, such as ancient Egypt or the kingdoms of Ghana, Mali and Great Zimbabwe. During the same timespan as the Middle Ages in Europe, in particular, Africa experienced a period of prosperity marked by the emergence of powerful kingdoms that had significant impact on a global scale. The kingdoms of Ghana and Mali, for example, were renowned well beyond their own borders.
By the 15th century, Europeans had reached the Atlantic coasts of Africa and had established trade relations with African kingdoms. Similarly, close connections developed between the eastern-coast African nations, the Arabic countries of the Gulf and the Indian subcontinent. Throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, trade relations were strengthened as the Europeans became familiar with increasingly vast and remote zones. This period also marked the peak of the abhorrent triangular trade that led to the enslavement of millions of Africans on the American continent. From the end of the 19th century and right up to the 1960s, the countries of Africa – apart from a few rare exceptions – were subjected to colonial domination by European nations such as Great Britain, France, Belgium, Germany, Portugal, Spain and Italy. Some areas were the focus of violent military expeditions, as was the case of the kingdom of Benin City (present-day Nigeria) which was conquered by the British, the kingdom of Dahomey (present-day Benin) which was taken by the French, or certain areas of Cameroon which fell under German control.
Some of the African objects that are now preserved in Musée du Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac ended up in Europe during that time, having been brought back to Europe by soldiers, missionaries or colonial officials. Some of these items – where it has been established that they were obtained illegally – are now being restored to their African countries of origin by the Western museums.
However, the history of the collections from Africa is ancient and diverse. Many objects entered French collections prior to colonisation, as a result of exploratory expeditions organised from the 15th century onwards, or as diplomatic gifts. Or they may have been produced specifically for elite European buyers – as was the case of certain ivory pieces. In the 19th century, many objects entered the museums following universal exhibitions or world fairs. Others were brought back by scientists or adventurers who had explored the interior of the African continent, which at the time was still largely unknown to Westerners. Throughout the 20th century, many pieces were acquired by artists and intellectuals in search of different art forms for their private collections. Tracing the detailed history of the objects is often difficult, due to the lack of available information. Musée du Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac, in collaboration with the communities and countries of origin of the collections it houses, conducts research into the various stages in each object’s history, from its place of creation to its entry into the museum. The museum has a team focused solely on this task; the results of their work can be consulted in part on the museum’s website using the QR code shown below.
To learn more, we invite you to listen to an audio tour detailing the histories of a dozen objects that can be found throughout the exhibition. By scanning the QR code located below each item, you will be able to listen to these explanations and expand your knowledge of how they were used and where their journeys have taken them.
