African art emerged from the world of ethnology at the beginning of the 20th century to find its place in the history of art. The book will attempt, for the first time, to highlight both the purely aesthetic aspects of African works of art, and their significance, explored in light of the religious and social structures that characterise the African continent; slabs from Benin, Bakotan reliquaries, Bundu masks, pieces in ivory, wood and bronze, to look at Africa from this two-fold point of view. A description of the principal African ethnic groups and where they are, with a timeline showing the main stages in African studies from myth to history. Published to accompany an exhibition at the Museo delle Culture, Milan. (26 March - 30 August 2015).