Friedrich Erdmann (1866-presumably 1907) was a merchant from Hamburg and worked as a managing director for the trading company Bey & Zimmer in Lagos, Warri and Sapele in southern Nigeria. Erdmann is known to have visited Benin City after it was conquered by British troops, taking the artefacts that remained there to sell with the permission of the British military, as well as photographing the area. Erdmann was one of the key figures in Bey’s Benin business, selling a total of 13 objects from the Kingdom of Benin to the museum in 1898. His widow, Alma, corresponded with Felix von Luschan (1854–1924) in Berlin, and later sold objects from her husband’s collection. His son Kurt (1901–1964) was an art historian; he also sold pieces from his father’s estate.
Osun-Stab
Unbekannte Werkstatt der Bronzegießergilde Igun Eronmwon / Königreich Benin, Nigeria, 18. Jh. / Gelbguss / Ankauf von Friedrich Erdmann, 1898, Inv. Nr. C 2337
Dieser von Friedrich Erdmann als
„Fetischbaum“ bezeichnete Stab und der königliche Gedenkkopf, den Brinckmann in die Sammlung des Museums für Kunst und Gewerbe aufnahm, waren die ersten beiden Werke aus Benin, die Anfang September 1897 nach Deutschland gelangten.
Solche üblicherweise aus Eisen gefertigten Stäbe finden sich auf den Osun-Schreinen von Spezialisten in Kräuterheilkunde. Er gehörte wohl dem König und war wahscheinlich im Osun-Schrein im Palastbereich der königlichen Herbalistengilde untergebracht. Die Darstellungen beziehen sich auf die okkulten Kräfte des Königs, der selbst drei Mal abgebildet ist. Osun ist die heilende, spirituelle Kraft, die in Pflanzen steckt.
Label Text (eng)
Osun Staff
Unidentified workshop of the Bronze Casters Guild Igun Eronmwon / Benin Kingdom, Nigeria, 18th century / Brass / Acquired from Friedrich Erdmann, 1898, inv.no. C 2337
This staff, described by Friedrich Erdmann as a “fetish tree” and the royal commemorative head that Brinckmann accessioned
into the collection of the Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe, were the first two works from Benin to reach Germany in early September 1897.
Such staffs, usually made of iron, are found on the Osun shrines of specialists in herbal medicine. It probably belonged to the king and might have been kept at the Osun shrine in the palace quarter of the royal herbalists’ guild. The depictions refer to the occult powers of the king, who is himself represented three times. Osun is the healing, spiritual power contained in plants.
Maße
Höhe: 170,00 cm; Durchmesser: 11,00 cm; Länge: 172,00 cm