MAGNIFICENT OBA COMMEMORATIVE HEAD - beni-edo - Nigeria (No Reserve Price)

OBA BRONZE IFE COMMEMORATIVE HEAD - BINI EDO - NIGERIA

SPECIAL --((SOLD WITH SUPPORT)) --

Ife art is the only one in Africa to offer anthropomorphic representations of such realism.
It is of such high artistic quality that it has often been compared to the other great naturalistic cultures of ancient Greece and Rome.
Tradition reports that in the Kingdom of Benin, it was once customary to decapitate defeated foreign kings and offer their heads to the Oba, the King of Benin city, who passed it on to bronze artisans or potters for copies in terracotta.
Only the representation of the heads of those who had offered the strongest resistance was cast.
When the son of a defeated ruler ascended the throne, the Oba would send him a clay or bronze replica of his father's head as a warning.

This very realistic piece is very representative of bini/edo art. The facial expression is serene.
The piece stands out for its size and
Verdigris patina. Some losses linked to wear. The recess at the back of the head is original: it was used to hang these commemorative heads.

Height 33 cm and 53 with support

Width 22 cm

More details in the photos

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