Topic 5 - 'Benin Bronzes', Edo Peoples, 1200-1600

where were the Benin Bronzes from?

the Kingdom of Benin, modern day Nigeria

what group of people made the bronzes?

the Edo people

the Kingdom of Benin was...

one of the oldest and most developed kingdoms in Africa

the kingdom was annexed by.....

the British Empire

when was it annexed?

1897, as a part of the 'Scramble for Africa'

what expedition cause the bronzes to fall into colonial hands?

British Punitive Expedition of 1897

they can now be found in...

museums in Britain, Germany, the US and Nigeria

Dan Hicks in his 2020 book 'The Brutish Museums: The Benin Bronzes, Colonial Violence and Cultural Restitution' says that...

the Benin Bronzes as displayed in Western museums like trophies represent "the violent propaganda of Western superiority"

they aren't all made from bronze, some are made from

wood, ivory, brass, leather, and ceramic

the metal pieces are made using which technique?

lost wax process

the process and growing style of naturalism may have been influenced by

the great bronze casting traditions of the neighbouring kingdom of Ife

these bronzes were used to

decorate the palace, hung onto walls or pillars

how can it be inferred that the bronzes were fixed to pillars?

they have rounded edges

they were seen as products of

courtly culture, designed to celebrate and glorify the leader

what was the name of the king of the Edo people?

Oba

who was the only person able to commission art works?

the Oba

a proud, sophisticated, and defiant culture which practised

metalworking and carving at a very high level

some of the plaques showed images of ............... providing a glimpse into how Westerners were perceived at the time

European traders

What traders were depicted and how?

Portuguese soldiers and traders depicted with thin faces, pointed noses, beards and wearing unfamiliar clothing

the Westerners depicted were often shown in

miniature, alongside the Oba, as if their presence demonstrated the great reach of his authority

the Benin society itself was very

hierarchical

what was the Oba viewed as

the spiritual, secular and ritual head, regarded as a sacred figured as a sacred figure

who held ultimate control over trade?

the Oba

what was the main exports of Benin?

ivory, gum, palm kernels and slaves

what other aspects of Benin society feature in the bronze plaques?

trade, the sea and animals native to the region

what did crocodiles represent?

the were considered the policemen of the waters, possibly standing for the role of the Oba, punishing those who violated the rules

what did mudfish symbolise?

their amphibious nature was supposed to represent the dual divine-human nature of the Oba

what did leopards sybolise?

pets, subservient to the king

what was the title of Queen Mother and what did it mean?

Iyoba, a woman who bore the first son of the Oba, required to have no other children but devote her life to look after the heir

what was found alongside the plaques that references the Iyoba?

a naturalistic mask of the Queen Mother, made out of ivory with iron and copper inlays

many of the heads had exaggerated...

features, large ears, lips, noses

images reflect the strict social...

hierarchy

how was this social hierarchy employed?

coral neck rings, a symbol of high status

many scenes depict

warfare from the 16th Century, e.g. ceremonial battle dresses

what is the main composition used?

triadic composition

the backgrounds were incised with...

foliage patterns (quatrefoil) - called river leaf designs

there has been some debate around whether....

these were influenced by the carvings and patterns brought by European traders e.g. through Islamic tiles and Indian miniatures, rather than by indigenous styles