Description: Item. Stunning Benin Bronze head Of Queen Idia referred to also as "Iyoba". Stylized And Rare Example. Nigeria. Superb and well-made. Oxidized patina. Nigeria. An example of one of the Benin bronzes. TheBenin Bronzesare a group of more than a thousand metal plaques and sculptures that decorated the royal palace of theKingdom of Beninin what is nowthe Midwest area of Nigeria. Collectively, the Benin bronze objects form the best-known examples ofBenin art and were created from the thirteenth century onwards by artists of theEdo people of Nigeria. Origin. Edo People of Nigeria. Use. This bronze head is a famous commemorative portrait sculpture of Queen Idia of Benin Kingdom. Idia was the mother of Esigie, who was Oba or King of the Edo people of Benin Kingdom from 1504 to 1550. Queen Idia is the first woman who went to and fought in War alongside male warriors. It is believe she used her magical powers and knowledge of Medicine to help her son overcome his enemies. Historians know that Idia was alive during the Idah war (1515 1516) because she played a role that led to a great Benin victory. It has been argued that Idia, therefore, was the true power behind the throne of her son. She became iconically popular ,when a carving of her face was adopted as the symbol of FESTAC ( second festival of Black Arts and culture) in 1977. Description. A fine portrait bust of arguably the most iconic female of the past Benin Kingdom. Idia - Queen mother or "Iyoba" meaning mother of the King. Striking features of Idia captured perfectly by an expert and skilful artisan to include the two cut outs to her foreheads and four raised marks, above each eye, to left and right sides of the central rectangular cut-outs. The four raised marks above each eye, which are called ikharo, are believed to represent scarification marks used then. Men would have three Ikharo above each eye while women and foreigners have four as Idia does. Headwear appears of a protective sort with spiked protusions and is likely a stylised depection showing Idia as she may have appeared in combat. Helmet-style headwear contrast with the more popular elegant representation of Idia with a conical and ornate headdress rising upward. We have two of these stylized examples of Idia,made by the same accomplished and masterful bronze-caster, with the main difference being the pattern on the headwear. This example has a royal petal motif pattern. Excellent form, symmetry and balance throughout. Oxidated patination expectedly as bronze head is decades old Some degradation and thinning of the bronze metal, especially to the base area and rear of neck, as to be expected from a bronze item which is significantly old. Nonetheless the head is in excellent collector condition. A beautiful, considerable and Iconic tribal treasure. Please note you are buying tribal treasures obtained from their original home of creation and use. As with all my bronze offerings, this is a personal find from Edo State of Nigeria which is the modern location of the Ancient Benin Empire that produced the many examples of beautiful Benin bronze collected worldwide today. Measurement. 29cm high x 20cm wide x 22cm deep. Why buy Benin bronze from Yemisi Gallery? The ancient Benin Kingdom is famous for inspiring the production of the Benin Bronzes several centuries ago. The Benin bronzes were produced exclusively for commemoratively exalting the Oba of Benin. They therefore adorned his palace and royal Courts. In 1897, the Benin Kingdom fell under attack from a British Punitive expedition so-called because it was dispatched to punish the Oba of Benin after an earlier British expedition had been ambushed. The punitive expedition precipitated the end of the Benin Kingdom eventually leading it to be absorbed into colonial Nigeria. The Benin bronzes numbering hundreds , and other treasures from the palace and court of the Oba of Benin, were looted and taken outside African. The Oba of Benin at the time, Ovonramwen, would be sent into exile where he would die in 1914. His son, Eweka II, ascended the throne in 1914 the year of his father's death. At the time Eweka II ascended the throne, brass and bronze casting had already become an established tourist industry. Oba Eweka II did a lot to revive the art of casting. He re-established the shrines of his father. He reconvened a new guild of Benin bronze casters to make new ritualistic objects and reproduction of the Benin bronzes that had adorned the palaces of his ancestors. In 1916, a shed was built near the palace for artists and members of the new Benin bronze casters guild to make and sell their works. This was effectively a signal that anyone interested could purchase Bronze work produced post-punitive expedition of 1897. At Yemisi Gallery we work exclusively with members of the Benin bronze casters guild, created by Oba Eweka II, and their offsprings they have passed on the casting skills to, for our legal purchase of authentic Benin bronze. We are then able to offer them for sale to collectors worldwide at excellent prices for genuine Benin Bronzes created by artists possessing the finest Benin bronze casting skills till today It is why we have the most exclusive and best Benin bronzes on ebay. Postage information. Please note we are an international seller who mainly obtain tribal artifacts directly in their area of creation and use as we rate authenticity higher than anything else per tribal art. We sometime therefore send items, especially big items, directly from where they were field-collected as this saves duplication of cost and effort for us. Please allow at least two weeks for delivery after payment is made.
Price: 699.99 GBP
Location: Dagenham
End Time: 2024-10-07T17:18:09.000Z
Shipping Cost: 107.25 GBP
Product Images
Item Specifics
Returns Accepted: ReturnsNotAccepted
Primary Material: Bronze
Antique: Yes
Original/ Repro: Original
Product: bronze head
Region of Origin: African
Age: Post-1940
