Benin Oba Head (long)
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| Limited Edition:
43 Banners |
| Price:
$549 |
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| Museum:
The Art Institute of Chicago |
| Exhibition:
Benin—Kings and Rituals: Court Arts from Nigeria |
| Material:
Printed vinyl |
| Dimensions:
L: 99 " (251 cm) : W:31 "
(79 cm) |
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Description:
The royal arts of the Benin kingdom pay homage to the concept of the oba (divine king). Court artists used various media and imagery to portray his divine nature and consistent rule over the kingdom. Their art also retells the important historical events of the kingdom and further portrays the oba’s divine properties through images of his supernatural interactions and the continuity of his deified lineage. The sophisticated, beautiful creations of Benin’s royal artists stand among the greatest works of African art.
The obas maintained guilds of artists to produce royal objects, chief among them were brass casters and ivory carvers. This banner shows a detail of one such brass sculpture, an Altar Head from the 18th/19th century. Intricately detailed and masterfully cast in bronze, the work shows the head of Oba Uhunmwun Elao. This commanding brass head would have served as an elaborate stand for a carved elephant tusk. The work was commissioned by the newly enthroned oba, and stood on an altar to commemorate the continuity with the previous oba, most likely his father. The head was a prominent symbol in Benin as it represented a person's ability succeed in this lifetime and go on to become a productive deified ancestor in the after life. The high collar around the neck shows the elaborateness of court regalia.
This banner was designed to span a street-lamp post, so hanging a pair of banners side-by-side shows the full image and creates a dramatic diptych. The front features one half of the image with white text that reads “The Art Institute of Chicago”. The reverse features the other half of the image with the exhibition name and dates in yellow, “BENIN/Kings and Rituals/Court Arts from Nigeria/July 10 – September 21”. The exhibition sponsor, “Sara Lee Foundation” is printed in white on black at the bottom. A shorter version of this banner is available to fit your smaller spaces.
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| Provenance:
These banners were displayed around Chicago from January 26 - April 20, 2008 to promote the exhibition, Benin—Kings and Rituals: Court Arts from Nigeria
. This was the exclusive venue for this exhibition.
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About the Artist:
18th- and 19th- century Benin court artists were known for their intricate carvings and skill at casting detailed metal sculptures. The Benin kingdom spans a long history from its earliest origins to the the 15th century arrival of Portuguese merchants that led to the kingdom’s growing wealth from coastal trade. British forces invaded in 1897 and the monarchy was changed and reconfigured, altering the course of its history. The area which encompassed the Benin kingdom is located in present-day southwestern Nigeria.
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| Color Scheme: Warm - Cool - |
| Style: Sculpture - African - |
