Museum Exhibition

Arts of Africa

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

From May 31, 2025

Following renovation, 500 sub-Saharan African works highlight major movements—one-fourth on view for the first time—spanning the Middle Ages to today.

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Exhibition artworks

Representative work

Middle Niger artist

Seated figure

13th century

Terracotta

H. 10 × W. 9 3/4 × D. 11 3/4 in. (25.4 × 24.8 × 29.8 cm)

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Featured works

Dogon blacksmith

Priest with raised arms

14th–17th century

Wood, applied organic materials

H. 82 7/8 x W. 14 1/4 x D. 8 3/8 in. (210.5 x 36.2 x 21.3 cm)

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"Barnes Foundation Master"

Seated couple

18th–early 19th century

Wood, copper and iron alloy, applied organic materials

H. 28 3/4 × W. 8 5/8 × D. 8 in. (73 × 21.9 × 20.3 cm)

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Dogon or Bozo blacksmith

Staff with seated male leader

16th–17th century

Copper alloy, iron

H. 30 1/2 × W. 4 1/4 × D. 4 in. (77.5 × 10.8 × 10.2 cm)

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Bamana numu (blacksmith)

Ci wara headdress

19th–early 20th century

Wood, metal, fiber

H. 28 x W. 12 1/8 x D. 2 1/8 in. (71.2 x 30.8 x 5.4 cm)

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Temne or Bullom artist(s)

Lidded saltcellar

ca. 1490–1530

Ivory

H. 11 3/4 x Diam. 4 1/4 in. (29.8 x 10.8 cm)

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Baga artist

D’mba (great mother) headdress

late 19th–first half of 20th century

Wood

H. 46 1/2 in. × W. 13 3/4 in. × D. 23 in. (118.1 × 34.9 × 58.4 cm)

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30 documented works in this exhibition

View all 30 documented works