South African Bushman Art

Primitive drawing often resembles that of children; it is dominated by the concepts of lanuage and bears little relation to actual appearances. The most striking characteristic of this drawing executed by a South African Bushman is its realism; a momentary action has been treated with photographic verisimilitude, and an extremely complicated pose rendered with extraordinary ease and precision. In primitive art it is usual for such features as the eyes and ears to be drawn disproportionately large. Here the eye is only suggested and all detail is subordinated to the general character of the form of the subject dealt with.