In 1958 while conducting research on the arts of serval little known peoples in northern Nigeria, I ascertained to my delight that as I had suspected, the artists were not anonymous in their home territory. The artists and sculptors all of whom were male were usually remembered and often honored by the custodians of the masks and figures. Unless responsibilty for the care of an object had been inherited from a previous generation, it was only in rare cases that the artist's name and village were not recalled. |