Provenience undocumented (Benin City, Nigeria. Object was outside Nigeria by late 19th to early 20th c; Delacorte Gallery of NY - to 3/18/59; Joseph Hirshhorn purchase 3/18/59 - 5/17/66). Vetted by William Fagg & Philip Dark for HMSG. Exhibited in HMSG's "Benin Art," Dec 1978 - (?) 1980.
Description: carved in the round, dark-brown wooden head is attached to black square wooden base. Head has stylized features carved in high relief. Bulging, almond-shaped eyes have inlaid pupils of a darker wood. Has wide nose, full lips, small ears, & ridged neck. Forehead has 4 inlaid rectangular plugs of a darker wood. Over each temple is a deeply incised tab (hair or part of cap ?) Wears close-fitting, conical cap with ridged band at bottom with protruding design on each side. Left side has upright feather(?) Behind each is a braid(?) with the end meeting the base to form a thick loop (as handle ?) Cap, braids, feather are covered with deeply incised linear pattern. Condition: heavy losses in the back from infestation. Ridged neck also has losses. SI SI Archives acc. 86-136, box 1