Primitivism and Popular Culture

Abstract

Chapter 4 highlights the role played by anthropological museums on the one hand and national and international exhibitions on the other in the popularization of anthropological and folklorist knowledge. In particular, proponents of folklore studies used ethnographic villages at world fairs and national exhibitions in order to collect folk objects and costumes which were to become the foundation of future museums of German folklore. These initiatives, however, were part of an increasing detachment of folklore studies from the overarching trajectory of anthropology. Initially, European artefacts were supposed to be an integral part of museums of anthropology, thus allowing ethnographic parallels to be drawn throughout the world. The chapter presents the debates that resulted from the removal of European artefacts from a number of anthropological museums throughout Germany (and other European countries) and their inclusion either in newly founded museums of domestic folklore or in historical museums.