ABSTRACT
Concepts of taste and value are inherently linked to aesthetics. Taste in its most basic sense is the preference for one ‘style’ over all others. Aesthetics embodies this, whereby objects are a refl ection of values, serving as an extension of one’s self (Gosden 2001: 164). Simply put, we try to surround ourselves with objects that refl ect who we are and who we aspire to be. When new choices are made available, the popular aesthetic or style will change depending on the socioeconomic circumstances. As seen in Chapter 3 , imports arriving via the Atlantic were not indiscriminately consumed just because they were now accessible to the residents of the Niumi commercial center. Consumption was driven by preexisting norms guiding taste and value. As more people gained access to different goods, shifts in the expression of taste through aesthetic choice occurred. Despite the Royal African Company’s attempts to meet demand, the rapidly changing preferences noted by company employees thwarted these efforts.
