Object History Note / Acquisition Notedescription, provenance, notes During the British Expeditionto Benin City (Edo) in 1897 objects made of brass, ivory, coral and wood were looted by British soldiers 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 See Collection File: Af1913,1211.1-2.
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. Three nail holes in upper half of plaque, two at left and one at right. One hole at bottom right. Depicts scene of cow sacrifice. Figure of cow at right centre, seen from above, with legs held by four attendants, above and below the cow, all facing front. Fifth attendant, standing to front, in left profile, holds mouth of cow. Central larger scale figure, facing front, has ridged helmet with feather and side plait at left side. Wears beaded necklace, leopard's tooth necklace, chestband, body armour with pendents terminating in bells, armlet on upper right arm, bracelet on same lower arm, and wrap-around skirt. Two further figures at top of plaque, at different scales facing front.
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 ~This plaque was not included in the loan of 304 plaques from the Foreign Office that were displayed at the British Museum in 1897. ~Part of Cow Sacrifice Set (Gunsch, 2018).
Exhibitions Loans and Displays - Current and Pastexhibition history Exhibited: 1970-1973, London, Museum of Mankind, Divine Kingship in Africa 2007 3 Feb-27 May, Taipei, National Palace Museum, Treasures of the World's Cultures 2007 14 Sep-2 Dec, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Treasures of the World's Cultures 2009 1 May-20 Sep, Victoria, Royal BC Museum, Treasures of the World's Cultures 2009-2010 11 Dec-10 May, Madrid, Canal de Isabel II, Treasures of the World's Cultures 2012 April-July, Manarat Al Saadayat,Abu Dhabi, Treasures of the world's cultures 2012-2013 Nov-March, Bonn, KAH, Treasures of the World's Cultures 2015-2016 4 Dec- 03 Jul, Singapore, National Museum, Treasures of the World's Cultures