Portraiture and Photography in Africa (African Expressive Cultures)

Portraiture and Photography in Africa Edited by John Peffer and Elisabeth L. Cameron Series: African Expressive Cultures Distribution: World Publication date: 7/3/2013 Format: paper 472 pages, 151 color illus. 8.5 x 9 ISBN: 978-0-253-00860-2 Beautifully illustrated, Portrait Photography in Africa offers new interpretations of the cultural and historical roles of photography in Africa. Twelve leading scholars look at early photographs, important photographers’ studios, the uses of portraiture in the 19th century, and the current passion for portraits in Africa. They review a variety of topics, including what defines a common culture of photography, the social and political implications of changing technologies for portraiture, and the lasting effects of culture on the idea of the person depicted in the photographic image. Introduction : The Study Of Photographic Portraiture In Africa / John Peffer -- Exchange. Portrait Photography : A Visual Currency In The Atlantic Visualscape / Jürg Schneider ; Lutterodt Family Studios And The Changing Face Of Early Portrait Photographs From The Gold Coast / Erin Haney ; Yoruba Studio Photographers In Francophone West Africa / Érika Nimis ; The Fieldworker And The Portrait : The Social Relations Of Photography / Elisabeth L. Cameron -- Social Lives. A Photograph Steals The Soul : The History Of An Idea / Z.s. Strother ; The Past In The Present : Photographic Portraiture And The Evocation Of Multiple Histories In The Bamum Kingdom Of Cameroon / Christraud M. Geary ; Mombasa On Display : Photography And The Formation Of An Urban Public, From The 1940s Onward ; Portrait Photography In A Postcolonial Age : How Beauty Tells The Truth / Liam Buckley -- Traditions. Likeness Or Not : Musings On Portraiture In Canonical African Art And Its Implications For African Portrait Photography / Jean Borgatti ; Àkó-graphy : Ọ̀wọ̀ Portraits / Rowland Abíọdún ; Visual Griots : Identity, Aesthetics, And The Social Roles Of Portrait Photographers In Mali / Candace M. Keller ; The Intermediality Of Portraiture In Northern Côte D'ivoire / Till Förster. Edited By John Peffer And Elisabeth L. Cameron. Some Essays Originally Presented At The Conference Portrait Photography In African Worlds (february 3-4, 2006), University Of California, Santa Cruz. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Foreword \ Raoul Birnbaum Acknowledgments Introduction: The Study of Photographic Portraiture in Africa \ John Peffer Part 1. Exchange 1. Portrait Photography: A Visual Currency in the Atlantic Visualscape \ Jürg Schneider 2. Lutterodt Family Studios and the Changing Face of Early Portrait Photographs from the Gold Coast \ Erin Haney 3. Yoruba Studio Photographers in Francophone West Africa \ Érika Nimis 4. The Fieldworker and the Portrait: The Social Relations of Photography \ Elisabeth L. Cameron Part 2. Social Lives 5. "A Photograph Steals the Soul": The History of an Idea \ Z. S. Strother 6. The Past in the Present: Photographic Portraiture and the Evocation of Multiple Histories in the Bamum Kingdom of Cameroon \ Christraud M. Geary 7. Mombasa on Display: Photography and the Formation of an Urban Public, from the 1940s Onward \ Isolde Brielmaier 8. Portrait Photography in a Postcolonial Age: How Beauty Tells the Truth \ Liam Buckley Part 3. Traditions 9. Likeness or Not: Musings on Portraiture in Canonical African Art and Its Implications for African Portrait Photography \ Jean Borgatti 10. Àkó-graphy: Ọ̀wọ̀ Portraits \ Rowland Abíọ́dún 11. Visual Griots: Identity, Aesthetics, and the Social Roles of Portrait Photographers in Mali \ Candace M. Keller 12. The Intermediality of Portraiture in Northern Côte d'Ivoire \ Till Förster Contributors Index Cover 1 Contents 7 Foreword 10 Acknowledgments 16 Introduction: The Study of Photographic Portraiture in Africa 20 PART ONE. EXCHANGE 52 1 Portrait Photography: A Visual Currency in the Atlantic Visualscape 54 2 Lutterodt Family Studios and the Changing Face of Early Portrait Photographs from the Gold Coast 86 3 Yoruba Studio Photographers in Francophone West Africa 122 4 The Fieldworker and the Portrait: The Social Relations of Photography 160 PART TWO. SOCIAL LIVES 194 5 "A Photograph Steals the Soul": The History of an Idea 196 6 The Past in the Present: Photographic Portraiture and the Evocation of Multiple Histories in the Bamum Kingdom of Cameroon 232 7 Mombasa on Display: Photography and the Formation of an Urban Public, from the 1940s Onward 272 8 Portrait Photography in a Postcolonial Age: How Beauty Tells the Truth 306 PART THREE. TRADITIONS 332 9 Likeness or Not: Musings on Portraiture in Canonical African Art and Its Implications for African Portrait Photography 334 10 Àkó-graphy:®wò Portraits 360 11 Visual Griots: Identity, Aesthetics, and the Social Roles of Portrait Photographers in Mali 382 12 The Intermediality of Portraiture in Northern Côte d'Ivoire 426 Contributors 458 Index 460 A 460 B 461 C 461 D 463 E 463 F 463 G 463 H 464 I 464 J 465 K 465 L 466 M 466 N 467 O 467 P 467 Q 469 R 469 S 469 T 470 U 470 V 470 W 470 Y 470 Z 471

Beautifully illustrated, Portrait Photography in Africa offers new interpretations of the cultural and historical roles of photography in Africa. Twelve leading scholars look at early photographs, important photographers' studios, the uses of portraiture in the 19th century, and the current passion for portraits in Africa. They review a variety of topics, including what defines a common culture of photography, the social and political implications of changing technologies for portraiture, and the lasting effects of culture on the idea of the person depicted in the photographic image.

This book offers interpretations of the cultural and historical roles of photography in Africa. Twelve leading scholars look at early photographs, important photographers' studios, the uses of portraiture in the 19th century, and the current passion for portraits in Africa. They review a variety of topics, including what defines a common culture of photography, the social and political implications of changing technologies for portraiture, and the lasting effects of culture on the idea of the person depicted in the photographic image