Edo
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Edo refers to the artistic tradition of the Kingdom of Benin (in present-day southern Nigeria), which produced some of the most technically accomplished bronze and brass sculptures in African art history. The Benin Kingdom flourished from the 13th century onward, and its court artists cast elaborate bronze plaques, heads, and figures using the lost-wax technique.
The Benin Bronzes, looted by British forces during the 1897 punitive expedition, are among the most debated objects in museum collections worldwide. Thousands of pieces were dispersed to museums in London, Berlin, New York, and elsewhere. Nigeria has been actively seeking their return, and several institutions have begun repatriating works. The plaques originally decorated the pillars of the Oba's palace in Benin City.
Sculptures by Edo
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Museums with Edo's Work
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About Edo
The Benin Bronzes are thousands of brass and bronze sculptures from the Kingdom of Benin (present-day Nigeria). They include portrait heads of kings (Obas), commemorative plaques, and ceremonial objects, most looted by British troops in 1897.
Major collections are at the British Museum in London and the Ethnological Museum in Berlin. Several museums have begun repatriating works to Nigeria's planned Edo Museum of West African Art in Benin City.
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