Catalogue card notes: "Bronze or brass group consisting of a man wearing elaborate robes, a mitre-shaped headdress and a bell round the neck, holding an ornate shield-like object in the left hand."
Roughly cast bronze sculpture of a man with a shield in one hand, and an unidentified object in the other. He wears a bell around his neck. Very similar in style to 1950.271 and possibly from the same larger piece
Bronze sculpture of a man with a mitre shaped shield and staff/spear in one hand, and an unidentified object in the other. He wears bell around his neck. Possibly detached from a larger sculpture such as Queen Mother's shrine
Given Webster's acquisition of much of the spoils of the Benin West Africa 1897 Expedition and the early date of 1902-3, it is likely his personal donation of Benin material was also collected on the 1897 Punitive Expedition This has therefore been added to the source field with queries to indicate the lack of available data for a definite provenance.
The note created during transcription of the catalogue card in 2001 added that it was unclear if 'Edo is the province or language group, and whether Benin refers to the city of Benin'. The Register noted only 'Benin, West Africa'. As the catalogue card was written before the creation of Edo State in 1991, 'Edo' would have referred to the Edo people and has been removed from the place field.
The narrow term 'Benin' has been used within the museum and more widely to refer to the both Benin City as well as the Kingdom of Benin and both terms have therefore been added to the place field in brackets to show the original provenance e.g., 'Benin [?Kingdom of Benin; ?Benin City].
Given Webster's acquisition of much of the spoils of the Benin West Africa 1897 Expedition and the early date of 1902-3, it is likely his personal donation of Benin material was also collected on the 1897 Punitive Expedition This has therefore been added to the source field with queries to indicate the lack of available data for a definite provenance.
The note created during transcription of the catalogue card in 2001 added that it was unclear if 'Edo is the province or language group, and whether Benin refers to the city of Benin'. The Register noted only 'Benin, West Africa'. As the catalogue card was written before the creation of Edo State in 1991, 'Edo' would have referred to the Edo people and has been removed from the place field.
The narrow term 'Benin' has been used within the museum and more widely to refer to the both Benin City as well as the Kingdom of Benin and both terms have therefore been added to the place field in brackets to show the original provenance e.g., 'Benin [?Kingdom of Benin; ?Benin City].
Catalogue card reads, in blue biro: "1902 E. 451 | AFRICA | WEST AFRICA / NIGERIA / Bronze of brass standing figure of a MAN wearing elaborate robes, a mitre shaped headdress and a bell round the neck holding an ornate shield-like object in the left hand. L. 9" / Benin W. Africa / Mr W.D. Webster | R 1903 215"
Red circular sticker on bottom right of card.