Benin Kingdom

The vast array of castings in bronze and leaded brass taken from the palace of the Oba of Benin in 1897 have been dispersed throughout Europe, the United States, and elsewhere. The interest generated by these artworks, along with the ivory carvings and coral regalia, has been a major factor in the development of Benin studies. The sculpture from Benin has come to represent the achievements of the Edo Kingdom of Benin in museums around the world. Within Africa they have been utilized in the construction of national and pan-national identities to reaffirm links to the autonomy of a precolonial past. Read More...