The book, edited and written by one of the major scholars of African art, traces a history of the collecting of African art in Italy, starting with a legendary figure like Guido Monzino and arriving to contemporary collectors. More than one hundred objects that have belonged or belong to Italian collections are illustrated in full colour and give a full perception of the high quality of the works of art collected. A year by year chronology/bibliography lists all events (exhibitions, conferences) and publications linked to African art in Italy. Four interviews to famous Italian collectors of African art close the book. A DVD with the videos of the two most important exhibitions of African art in Italy (Rome 1990 and Turin 2003/2004) is included in the book.