Object History Note / Acquisition Notedescription, provenance, notes Following the British occupation of Benin City (Edo) in 1897 objects made of brass, ivory and wood were looted by British forces from the royal palace, its storerooms and compounds. Some of these objects were sold or exchanged on the coast. However, many were brought to the UK where they were sold through private auction, donated to museums, or retained by soldiers of the expedition The British Museum successfully petitioned the government to secure some of the relief plaques and over 300 were sent to the UK by the Consul-General [Sir] Ralph Moor and placed at the Foreign Office. During the summer of 1897 the Crown Agents for the Colonies, on behalf of the Foreign Office, agreed a temporary loan of 304 plaques to the British Museum. In September these were placed on public display in the Assyrian basement where they attracted considerable public attention. The Museum initially received 203 of these plaques as a gift from the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. In the summer of 1898 a further eleven plaques were sent to the British Museum from the Foreign Office and three of these were selected by the Museum and were subsequently presented as a gift. Of the remaining plaques the Foreign Office retained eight and the rest were offered for sale to major museums, collectors and private dealers in Europe and the UK. Today over nine hundred plaques are known to exist in museums and private collections around the world. See Collection File: Af1898,0115.1-203 (previously Eth.Doc.185).
Physical descriptiondescription Relief plaque, lost-wax cast in brass. Wide plaque, rectangular in form with side flanges. Background surface decorated with river leaf patterns and stippling. One nail hole at top, one at centre right and one at bottom. Depicts Oba (said to be Esigie) on horseback, facing front, holding the wrists of two pages. Wears beaded crown with oro protrusion and feather at left side, deep beaded collar, beaded sash worn diagonally across chest, armlets, beaded anklets, and patterned wrap-around skirt. Sits side saddle on horse on patterned saddle-cloth. Flanked by two pages, facing front, with tiered hairstyles and long plaited locks at each side of face. Wear beaded necklaces, bracelets and patterned wrap-around skirts. Figure on left has baldric across chest with sheathed sword attached. Figure on right holds 'bird of prophecy' staff in right hand. Horse depicted in profile, facing right. Smaller scale page figure in bottom right corner holds rope attached to horse's bridle. Has tiered hairstyle and wears baldric across chest and wrap-around skirt with decorated border.
The relief brass plaques that used to decorate the Oba's (king's) palace are among the most well-known of all the royal arts of Benin. Although frequently described as 'Benin Bronzes' most plaques are made of leaded brass in various compositions. It is widely accepted that they date to the 16th-17th centuries. In the years prior to the British Expeditionroyal influence in Benin was increasingly under threat from rival powers, both internal and external, with a focus on economic power and control of the important trading monopolies. However, the court and palace remained the political and spiritual centre of the Benin Kingdom. Earlier accounts written by Europeans visiting the city describe its size and scale. The palace complex was set up around atrium courtyards; some had galleries with wooden pillars supporting the roof. Brass plaques, probably made in matching pairs, were fixed to these pillars. The Benin brass plaques represent a distinct and unique corpus of work, unparalleled elsewhere on the continent. They are cast using the cire perdue (lost wax) technique and show significant variation in the depth of the relief. Some of the plaques portray historical events or commemorate successful wars, while others are a vivid depiction of Benin court life and ritual. Several groups of plaques show clear stylistic similarities. William B. Fagg suggested that these plaques represent the work of master brass casters. Fagg, William, 1973, 'Nigerian Images', London: Lund Humphries Gunsch, Kathryn, 2018, 'Benin plaques: a 16th century imperial monument', London: Routledge, Taylor and Francis Group ~Often identified as celebrating Oba Esigie on his triumphant return from the Idah war. Prior to battle a bird of prophecy wrongly forecast his failure in battle. The 'bird of prophecy' staff (depicted in this plaque) was cast following his triumphant return and is beaten during the Ugie Oro festival that commemorates Esigie's victory. Three other plaques show Oba (Esigie) riding side-saddle although these depict the horse facing forwards (Berlin Ethnologisches Museum: III C 8056; Museum für Völkerkunde, Dresden: 16136 and Metropolitan Museum, New York: 1978.412.309).~Part of Idah War Pillar Set. Row 2C. Oba with enobore supporting arms (Gunsch, 2018). ~Read & Dalton 1899: Group representing a king of Benin on horseback with three attendants. He... rides seated sideways upon his horse, which has a cloth in lieu of saddle, and harness hung with bells, &c. Two of the attendants stand at his sides, and he grasps their upturned wrists. One attendant holds in his disengaged hand a short staff surmounted by a bird (Cf.Af1898,0115.117), the other has a curved sword in an ornamented sheath. The third attendant, wearing loin-cloth and baldric, leads the horse by the halter.