Product Description
Portrait Head Figure Ife – Nigeria
This authentic, free-standing brass head cast in the lost wax technique of the Benin Kingdom, in what is now Nigeria, exhibits a virtuosity and sophistication of style that has astonished the Western world since they were visited in the 15th century. The face’s shape and unique expression, a tranquil and dignified presence with the transcendent gaze clearly indicate qualities of genuine nobility: endurance, far-sightedness, determination, and wisdom.
Made of 100% Copper
Age late 14th-early 15th century
Model is W 41 – H 25 and weight 5 kg.
Description
This authentic, free-standing brass cast in the lost wax technique portrait head exhibits a virtuosity and sophistication of style that has astonished the Western world since they were visited in the 15th century. The face’s shape and unique expression, a tranquil and dignified presence with the transcendent gaze clearly indicate qualities of genuine nobility: endurance, far-sightedness, determination, and wisdom. This is the representation of a person who distinguishes adulthood from childhood; who understands justice; a person who would perform hand-to-hand combat fearlessly and suffer his wounds stoically. He is big and strong: His neck is almost as wide as his head. The rings circling his neck do not run all the way around, but apparently represent folds of flesh meant to suggest, like the king’s belly, his economically comfortable status. The figure and pose are classic from the high period of Benin art in the 15th century. Ife is located in Osun State in modern south-western Nigeria.
Because the Ife artists had the skill to communicate distinct individuality, the gaze, characteristic of the sculptures, must reflect a common outlook or valued attitude. The Yoruba people deified both ancestors and deceased rulers, and worshiped a pantheon of preexisting deities that numbered in the hundreds More than language, metal working, beading, ceramics, and weaving were the primary vehicles for recording the culture’s fundamental stories and values. The people of Benin, called Bini, are descendant from the Ife, also known for their remarkable Bronze. The story of the famous metal castings from the ancient Kingdom of Benin and the city of Ife, produced to honor their king or “Oba,” is both fascinating and sad. The exquisite Benin lost-wax castings are a fine example of one of the most famous metalworking traditions in world history. One can only imagine the true splendor of the old court of Benin.
Yoruba people, also known as Àwon omo Yorùbá, literally: Children of Yoruba are an ethnic group of Southwestern and North Central Nigeria as well as Southern and Central Benin, together known as Yorubaland. The Yoruba constitute over 40 million people in total. The majority of this population is from Nigeria and make up 21% of its population, making them one of the largest ethnic groups in Africa
Additional information
Weight | 5 kg |
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Dimensions | 41 × 25 cm |
Material | Bronze, Wood, Ceramic, Terracotta, Woven rattan, Leather |
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