Central Africa

 Altar and Finial, 19th centuryDemocratic Republic of Congo, Loango Region, Kongo peoples   Ivory

This ivory sculpture below was produce by a leader of Loango which made it as a reminder for a merchant from the west. The art work of the Kongo sculptor shows flawless detail and clarity of the individuals which reveals the theatrical motions of hostility towards each other.  This sculpture depicts the factors of the Atlantic Trade in a reduced area and exposes how the Loango sculptors where always watching the outsiders who were among them.  In the sculpture you are able to see Western traders on the top level who are shaking their hands because of a deal, or are trading an animal of some sort.  The sculpture is created of two levels, the top level you see the Western merchants who if you think about it were high-class and better than the Africans. The Lower level shows Africans in a violent and hostile environment. The website stated that the sculpture might have attracted “popular misconceptions among late- nineteenth century Westerners that opposed "civilized" Europe against a supposedly "savage" Africa.” In simple words the sculpture may have given the idea that Africans were known as savages and barbarians, but the traders were the civilized, educated people that came from Europe. 

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/images/h2/h2_1993.382a,b.jpg