Benin King Oba bronze standing figure, Nigeria, 20th Century
Benin King Oba bronze standing figure, Nigeria, 20th Century
Lost wax cast bronze with a rich brown and black patina with light desert sand patina in some of the recessed areas.
The art of Benin is the product of an urban royal court, and is meant to symbolize and to extol the power, mystique, grandeur, continuity, and endurance of the ruling dynasty and its governing institutions. From the 14th century until its fall in 1897, Benin was ruled by the Oba, a divine ruler at the head of the political system of titled chiefs. Under royal support, a number of craftsman's guilds produced bronze, brass, and wood sculptures and embroidered cloth, all of which have become prized by museums and collectors.
Silver-plate highly stylized classical ewer with various etched and applied floral details and an elegantly modeled double arch handle form
Marks: Heraldic Coat-of-Arms
H: 11″ x W: 8″ x D: 5″
This is a Rococo Revival inspired wine ewer that shows the design transition of the last quarter of the 19th Century and leading up to the curvaceous designs of the Art Nouveau Era. The classical form of this ewer has an ancient precedent as well.
@hd_jewels