MELANESIA - Lot 189

MELANESIA Éditions de la Connaissance S.A. A scholarly yet accessible book devoted to the arts, beliefs, and societies of Melanesia, a major cultural region of Oceania that includes, in particular, New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and New Caledonia. The author presents the religious traditions, initiation ceremonies, masks, sculptures, and ritual objects that have profoundly shaped the history of so-called “primitive” art and inspired many 20th-century artists. Illustrated with numerous ethnographic photographs and reproductions of religious objects, this volume is a characteristic testament to the interest in Oceanic art during the postwar years. Description: Quarto, paperback. Numerous black-and-white illustrations. Illustrated cover. In good overall condition despite some signs of wear and creases.