What is the sculpture of Benin?
What is the sculpture of Benin?
The ‘Benin Bronzes’ (made of brass and bronze) are a group of sculptures which include elaborately decorated cast plaques, commemorative heads, animal and human figures, items of royal regalia, and personal ornaments.
What does the Benin Bronzes represent?
The Benin Bronzes are from Benin City The 3,000-plus items that make up the Benin Bronzes include statues and plaques that decorated the palace of the Oba, the king of Benin, and are representations of kings and queen mothers of the Edo people (the people of Benin) and a historical record of the kingdom.
Which artwork is mostly done in Benin?
bronze
Primarily made of cast bronze and carved ivory, Benin art was produced mainly for the court of the Oba of Benin – a divine ruler for whom the craftsmen produced a range of ceremonially significant objects….Chronology.
| No. | Name | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | the “Renaissance” | 1648–1691 |
| 6 | the Decline Period | 1691–1819 |
What is Benin known for art?
The Kingdom of Benin has produced some of the most renowned examples of African art. There are an estimated 2,400 to 4,000 known objects including 300 bronze heads, 130 elephant tusks, and 850 relief plaques. Most of the ancient art of Benin is royal and honors the Oba, or king of the Benin Kingdom.
What is the culture of Benin?
Two things have influenced Benin’s culture more than anything else: voodoo and slavery. Some 60 percent of Beninese follow the voodoo religion – with many cultural aspects and religious syncretism spilling over into other aspects of culture as well.
What are the characteristics of Benin culture?
Benin’s culture is as rich and diverse as its landscape. With strong religious roots to inform most of the traditions, Benin’s culture is certainly one of the most unique and interesting in Africa. Music is of utmost importance in the country.
Where are the Benin bronzes displayed?
the British Museum
The British government has argued that the Benin Bronzes “properly reside” in the British Museum, which has the largest collection of them in the world – with more than 900 pieces. Hosting the ancient objects in London also ensures they are accessible to the world, the UK authorities say.
Who created Benin art?
#2: Discovering Benin Art The Benin bronze casters started creating bronze figures before the 13th century. The bronze works are known collectively as Benin art and an extraordinary example of African art.
What is the Benin kingdom known for?
The historical kingdom of Benin was established in the forested region of West Africa in the 1200s C.E. According to history, the Edo people of southern Nigeria founded Benin. Artists of the Benin Kingdom were well known for working in many materials, particularly brass, wood, and ivory.
What is Edo Benin culture and history?
Benin was the seat of one of the great medieval African kingdoms. During the 13th century, the indigenous Edo people were run by a group of local chieftains. However, by the 15th century, a single ruler, known as the oba, had asserted control. The obas brought great prosperity and a highly organised state to Benin.
What is the culture of Edo State?
There are several interesting traditions in the spiritual culture in Edo state Nigeria. They have retained their authenticity through many centuries. This religion has nothing to do with the Bible or the Quran like Christianity or Islam. Instead, it has its own holy writing known as “Binis’ teaching and saying”.
Where did the Benin Bronzes come from?
Courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Head, Guinea Coast, Nigeria, Benin Kingdom, possibly mid 16th or early 17th century. Courtesy of The Cleveland Museum of Art. The famous Benin bronzes are going home—at least some of them, some of the time.
What are some examples of Art in the Kingdom of Benin?
Art in the Kingdom of Benin took many forms, of which bronze and brass reliefs and the heads of kings and queen mothers are the best known. Bronze receptacles, bells, ornaments, jewelry, and ritual objects also possessed aesthetic qualities and originality, demonstrating the skills of their makers,…
What is the history of bronze sculpture in Nigeria?
The Yoruba and Benin cultures produced bronze and ivory sculptures in modern Nigeria from the 13th through the 19th centuries. Ife is home to the Yoruba people in southwestern Nigeria. The city was established near the ninth century CE, and reached its artistic peak between 1200 and 1400 CE.
What is the history of the Benin clans?
They were created from at least the 16th century onwards in the West African Kingdom of Benin, by specialist guilds working for the royal court of the Oba (king) in Benin City.
