John Lembcke (1873-?) originally came from Mecklenburg and was a Hamburg merchant. He worked as an agent for the trading company L. Pagenstecher & Co. in southern Nigeria. The company maintained several branches in Cameroon and Nigeria and traded raw rubber, among other things.Lembcke was probably employed at a branch of the firm in Warri, from where he went to nearby Benin City. There, he found objects which he eventually brought to Hamburg. Between 1899 and 1905, he sold 40 objects from the Kingdom of Benin to the museum.
Anhänger mit zwei Portugiesen und Leopardenkopf
Unbekannte Werkstatt der Bronzegießergilde Igun Eronmwon / Königreich Benin, Nigeria, 16./17. Jh. / Gelbguss / Ankauf von John Lembcke, 1899, Inv. Nr. C 2389
Der schildförmige Anhänger zählt zu den bekanntesten BeninBronzen. Sein ursprünglicher Verwendungszweck ist nicht mehr bekannt. Die Repräsentation der Portugiesen in Kombination mit dem Kopf eines Leoparden, dem Symboltier des Benin-Königs, verweist auf die Integration der Fremden in
die lokale Gesellschaft und auf ihre besondere Stellung.
Label Text (eng)
Pendant: Two Portuguese and a Leopard Head
Unidentified workshop of the Bronze Casters Guild Igun Eronmwon / Benin Kingdom, Nigeria, 16th/17th century / Brass / Acquired from John Lembcke, 1899, Inv. no. C 2389
The shield-shaped pendant belongs to the most well-known Benin bronzes. Its original purpose is no longer known. The representation of the Portuguese together with the head of a leopard, the symbolic animal of the Benin king, reflects the social integration of these foreigners and their special position.