African art is as diverse as the cultures and languages of the continent. The artistic styles of the countries of North Africa have been strongly influenced by Islamic art and are, in large measure, part of the Middle Eastern tradition. South of the Sahara there exists a rich diversity of artistic forms that Westerners have begun to appreciate only recently.
Another branch of the arts can be called court art. This consists of objects made at the courts of the kingdoms that dominated many parts of Africa before colonial rule. The artists were full-time professionals maintained at the court, where they fashioned clay, wood, and metal sculptures in honor of the king, the queen mother, and various officials.
