Bamana's masks ans headgears, Lega ivories, Dogon sculpture and Benue bronze are some of the numerous African items belonging to the famous Menil collection. This work is the first complete catalogue on the Menil collection of African art which owns 115 of the finest items in the museum. Mainly dating from the 19th and 20th century, these works stem from northern Africa and Sahel, as well as from western litttoral zones, central and eastern Africa. An essay by the scholar Kristina Van Dyke (associate curator of collections) introduce the forming of the collection which was  partly inspired by its relation with the modernist works and by the interest of the Menil group towards the human rights.