Salt Cellar

This ivory salt cellar dates to around 1625 and belongs to the Afro-Portuguese tradition, a fascinating chapter in art history where West African carvers created luxury objects for European buyers. Portuguese traders commissioned these pieces from guild carvers in the Kingdom of Benin (modern Nigeria), who adapted their court ivory techniques to European functional forms. Salt was expensive in Europe, and ornate salt cellars were status symbols at aristocratic dining tables.

Only six or seven master carvers in a hereditary, male-only guild produced these objects, with permission from the oba (king). Ivory, called "white gold," was prized for its smooth texture and ability to hold fine detail. These salt cellars represent the first documented African artworks made specifically for export. The piece is part of the collection at the Art Institute of Chicago, where it sits alongside other examples of cross-cultural exchange in the decorative arts.