198 - PAULME (Denise). — Sculptures of Black Africa.

PAULME (Denise). — Sculptures of Black Africa. Paris, Presses Universitaires de France, 1956. “L’Œil du connaisseur. Bibliothèque de l’Expert et de l’Amateur” series. In-8 format, VIII–130 pp., 32 pages of plates, numerous black-and-white illustrations and several color reproductions, maps. Paperback, illustrated color cover. The institutional bibliographic description confirms the 1956 Paris edition, the pagination, the 32 pages of plates, and the format of approximately 21 cm. First edition. An important study by Denise Paulme (1909–1998), then head of the Black Africa department at the Musée de l’Homme, devoted to traditional sculpture from sub-Saharan Africa. The author examines, in turn, the materials and techniques—stone, ivory, terracotta, wood, and metal—and then the major sculptural traditions, placing masks, statues, and ritual objects within their social and religious contexts. The book is richly illustrated with pieces from the Musée de l’Homme and ethnographic collections, including masks, ancestor figures, statues, cult objects, and ceremonial ensembles. The plates feature remarkable historical photographs, several of which are in color. This monograph enjoyed international circulation: an English edition, *African Sculpture*, was published in 1962 and explicitly states that it was originally published by PUF in 1956. Condition: a complete copy in good internal condition. The cover is intact but shows fairly significant wear: scuffing, creases, and small tears, particularly at the lower right corner of the front cover; the headbands and edges are scuffed. Fair to good condition.