Unknown Artist
This amazing head was created in the Kingdom of Benin (also known as the Edo Kingdom or the Benin Empire), which was a kingdom in West Africa in what is now southern Nigeria. It is not to be confused with the modern-day nation-state of Benin, which was known as Dahomey until 1975. The Kingdom of Benin's capital was Edo, now known as Benin City in Edo state. The Benin Kingdom was "one of the oldest and most highly developed states in the coastal hinterland of West Africa." It was formed around the 11th century AD; it lasted until it was annexed by the British Empire in 1897.
This brass head was commissioned by a newly crowned king for an altar commemorating a previous ruler, most likely the king’s father. Its shape imitates the regal coral-beaded collar and cap and served as the pedestal for a carved elephant tusk, the white color of which signaled the king’s divine and sacred nature. In Benin thought, the head is an important symbol of authority and power. Through this portrait a king channeled his deified ancestors to vitalize and protect his reign. Uhunmwun Elao means Ancestral Memorial Head.
P.S. Here are more brass heads, coral beads, and Ivory! Get to know more about art from the Kingdom of Benin.
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