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Benin West African Tribal Art - Kings and Gods CYPRIEN TOKOUDAGBA Dahomey Voodoo

by Cyprien Tokoudagba

$75 · Offered by eBay · No longer available

First edition · Limited edition

Benin West African Tribal Art - Kings and Gods CYPRIEN TOKOUDAGBA Dahomey Voodoo Kings and Gods / Rois et Dieux by Cyprien Tokoudagba is an important and visually striking monograph devoted to one of the most influential modern artists of Benin (formerly Dahomey) and a central figure in late-20th-century West African art. Tokoudagba (born 1939 in Abomey) was both an artist and historian, best known for his monumental bas-reliefs, murals, and sculptural works created for the Royal Palaces of Abomey, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the historic seat of the Fon Kingdom. The book explores the intertwined worlds of royalty (“Kings”) and Vodun deities (“Gods”), tracing how political authority, religious belief, and artistic expression have been inseparable in Beninese history. Tokoudagba’s work draws deeply from Vodun (Voodoo) traditions, royal iconography, ancestral myths, and court history, depicting the great kings of Dahomey alongside powerful spiritual figures who governed the moral and cosmological order of society. His art presents kings and priests as intermediaries between the human and divine realms, preserving sacred narratives through image, symbol, and ritual form. Richly illustrated with color photographs of paintings, murals, bas-reliefs, and architectural works, the book documents Tokoudagba’s distinctive visual language—bold colors, dynamic forms, and symbolic density—created using materials ranging from cement and acrylic paint to found and recycled objects. Part

  • Publisher: Fonation Zinsou
  • Binding: Hardcover
  • Condition: Very Good

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