Introduction to historiography of "primitive art" ethnology

Abstract

From the fifteenth century in Europe, a large quantity of « objects of curiosity » were brought back by explorer, travelers, soldiers, missionary, and merchant from their trips in Africa, Oceania and América. These quantity of objects have continued to grow. The « primitive art » funs, collectors and merchants were, as well as the « cabinets of curiosities » and the « wonder rooms » more and more numerous. The « universal exhibitions », started in the middle of 19th century, make exhibition of the « other far » and « savage » as the essential leisure. The scientific inventions character of this period‘s conjuncture make these « curiosity objects » as fossils and treat the  primitive societies as living witness of the human history evolution. Ethnologic museums were created to preserve these objects and to make them as research's materials.