Hugo Warnholtz had residence and/or place of business in Herrengraben in downtown Hamburg. He was an active merchant in West Africa and corresponded with curator Felix von Luschan (1854–1924) in Berlin about the collection he had acquired in Africa. In 1901, he sold a total of six objects from the Kingdom of Benin to the MARKK, including one piece that had originally been part of Oskar Meyer’s private collection.
Fehlguss eines Leoparden
Unbekannte Werkstatt der Bronzegießergilde Igun Eronmwon / Königreich Benin, Nigeria, 19. Jh. / Gelbguss / Ankauf von Hugo Warnholtz, 1901, Inv. Nr. C 2952
Die europäische Gier nach BeninObjekten machte offenbar nicht einmal Halt vor Ausschussware, die im Normalfall wieder eingeschmolzen worden wäre, wie etwa dieser Fehlguss eines Leoparden.
Label Text (eng)
Miscast of a Leopard
Unidentified workshop of the Bronze Casters Guild Igun Eronmwon / Benin Kingdom, Nigeria, 19th century / Brass / Acquired from Hugo Warnholtz, 1901, Inv. no. C 2952
The European greed for Benin objects apparently did not even stop at miscasts that would normally have been melted down again, such as this leopard figure.