Since Cézanne

The book delves into the complexities of African art and its historical context, highlighting the challenges of determining the provenance and dating of artifacts. It emphasizes the limited knowledge available, even among experts, regarding the influences of Portuguese adventurers on African art during the 15th and 16th centuries. The text critiques the reliance on vague attributions from traders and collectors, rather than scholarly research, to establish the significance and value of these pieces, particularly in a region with scant archaeological records.