Memorial head 1550 - 1650

0:00

bronze, sculpture

portrait

african-art

sculpture

bronze

figuration

sculpture

Dimensions: 11 1/2 x 8 11/16 x 8 5/16 in. (29.21 x 22.07 x 21.11 cm)

This commemorative head, of unknown date, was cast in bronze by an Edo artist. These heads were commissioned in the ancient Kingdom of Benin, now part of Nigeria, to honor deceased rulers. The sculpture is more than a portrait, it is a study of power, identity, and cultural memory. The intricate coral beadwork symbolizes status, and the serene expression embodies regal authority and spiritual connection. Consider the emotional resonance of this head, its gaze fixed on the past and future. It embodies the weight of leadership and the complexities of royal representation. It also encapsulates the history of the Kingdom of Benin and its position in the global narrative of art and power.

Comments

minneapolisinstituteofart over 1 year ago

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Were they true to life, the high collar and netted hat of this royal memorial head would be a brilliant, beautiful red. They were made of coral beads imported from the Mediterranean Sea. And since the Benin king owned all the coral in his kingdom, its use in his outfit signified his far-reaching control of international trade. Each new Oba had a bronze head made to decorate the shrine honoring his deceased predecessor. The hole in the top of the head once held a carved elephant tusk—like the one in the case to your left—chronicling the exploits of the ancestor.