
by Ancient Benin (Unknown), 1500
This Benin Bronze head of a Queen Mother represents the Iyoba (Queen Mother), one of the most powerful figures in the Benin Kingdom. Cast around 1500 CE, the brass sculpture shows the distinctive high collar and peaked headdress that identified the Iyoba's rank. These commemorative heads were placed on altars in the royal palace, honoring deceased Queen Mothers who wielded significant political and spiritual authority.
Benin artists developed lost-wax casting to extraordinary sophistication, creating works that astonished Europeans when they first encountered them. The Portuguese began trading with Benin in the 15th century, providing the brass that made these sculptures possible. The British looted thousands of bronzes during the 1897 punitive expedition, dispersing them to museums worldwide.
This head is now at the British Museum, though Nigeria has requested repatriation of Benin bronzes from Western collections.
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Luxury wall art with the same mood and energy. Gallery-quality canvas, no museum crowds.
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