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The ancient Kingdom of Benin (not to be
confused with the modern nation state of Benin)
was situated in southern Nigeria. The people of
Benin, known as the Bini, were ruled by an Oba,
or king. Benin City (known as Edo to the Bini) was
their fortified capital from which the Obas carved
out their territory and controlled of lucrative
trade routes. Commercial links with Europe via
the Portuguese were first established in the late
15th Century, ushering in a Golden Age of
wealth, power, and prestige for the Obas.
Eventually, the Kingdom would succumb to the
ravages of colonialism, when in 1897, the British
launched a punitive expedition that destroyed
the “great city of Benin” as it was once described
by the Portuguese. Ironically, the destruction of
the city and the pillaging of its artistic treasure
ultimately exposed the West to the sophisticated
sculptural traditions of Benin and led to a
tremendous curiosity and appreciation of their
culture. Today, the magnificent creative legacy of
the Kingdom of Benin is considered to rank
among the finest works of art on the African
continent and beyond, on par with the
contemporaneous masterpieces of Renaissance
and Baroque Europe.
The art of Benin is the product of an urban royal
court. As such, it is meant to symbolize and
extol the power, mystique, grandeur, endurance,
and continuity of the ruling dynasty. As the role
of the Oba became increasingly ceremonial, their
art evolved into an instrument of the state.
Sculptures in ivory, wood, and bronze depict the
Oba festooned in ornate robes and beaded
necklaces alongside attendants and guardians.
Foreigners (mostly Portuguese) are also
occasionally represented, demonstrating the
extent of the Oba’s authority. The Oba himself is
often symbolized by animals including the
leopard and the mudfish.
There are three separate sections on this tusk
each with its own motif. The central portion
shows a beautifully carved kneeling female with
her hands placed upon her abdomen. She is
naked except for her ornamentation. This
consists of a high neck collar to which is
attached a triangular shaped extension in a
checkerboard pattern covering a portion of her
breasts, similar to the one on her back. A high
waistband encircles her just below the chest,
while a second one covers her groin and navel.
Her elaborate headdress is surmounted by an
exquisite bird that exhibits certain abstract
features, such as the neck composed of bands of
concentric circles, along with realism details seen
in the very fine long wings. This may represent
the bird of prophecy. The bottom section shows
two warriors carrying a sword and spear, and a
man playing a side-blown trumpet used during
ceremonies for the king (Oba). Carved tusks
were primarily the property of Benin kings places
on altars to represent spiritual and temporal
force, purity, prosperity, and peace.
- (PF.5342)
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