The ancient Kingdom of Benin (not to be confused with the modern nation state of Benin) was situated in southern Nigeria. The people of Benin, known as the Bini, were ruled by an Oba, or king. Benin City (known as Edo to the Bini) was their fortified capital from which the Obas carved out their territory and controlled lucrative trade routes. Commercial links with Europe via the Portuguese were first established in the late 15th Century, ushering in a Golden Age of wealth, power, and prestige for the Obas. Eventually, the Kingdom would succumb to the ravages of colonialism, when in 1897, the British launched a punitive expedition that destroyed the “great city of Benin” as it was once described by the Portuguese. Ironically, the destruction of the city and the pillaging of its artistic treasure ultimately exposed the West to the sophisticated sculptural traditions of Benin and led to a tremendous curiosity and appreciation of their culture. Today, the magnificent creative legacy of the Kingdom of Benin is considered to rank among the finest works of art on the African continent and beyond, on par with the contemporaneous masterpieces of Renaissance and Baroque Europe.

The art of Benin is the product of an urban royal court. As such, it is meant to symbolize and extol the power, mystique, grandeur, endurance, and continuity of the ruling dynasty. As the role of the Oba became increasingly ceremonial, their art evolved into an instrument of the state. Sculptures in ivory, wood, and bronze depict the Oba festooned in ornate robes and beaded necklaces alongside attendants and guardians. Foreigners (mostly Portuguese) are also occasionally represented, demonstrating the extent of the Oba’s authority. The Oba himself is often symbolized by animals including the leopard and the mudfish.

At first glance, this bronze sculpture of a spotted leopard appears to be more a charming work of art than a piece of political propaganda. However, upon further inspection, the greater meaning of the leopard becomes clear. Big cats have traditionally symbolized political power and authoritative rule from the jungles of Mesoamerica to the deserts of the Middle East. Much as jaguars and lions dominate their respective terrains, likewise the king, who associates himself with these great beasts, rules his kingdom without challenge. Leopards play an important role in the aesthetic program of Benin art, representing the dominance of the Oba. This bronze sculpture is closely related to a group of leopard-shaped aquamaniles (a type of vessel used for ritual hand washing introduced into the area by European explorers). However, this leopard would not have served such a function, as told by its lack of an opening and spouts. Instead, it seems to have been a true sculpture that might have been displayed within the context of ancestral altars dedicated to the family of the Oba. The leopard stands tall and proud on three legs, having lost one of his hind legs to the forces of time, his tail curving downwards in a gentle s-shape. The head has been rendered in a stylized fashion characteristic of Benin art, with exposed teeth and whiskers that fan outwards along the cheeks. The surface of the sculpture has been decorated with incised marks representing the spotted coat of the leopard. All these visual elements combine to create a work of art that exudes the strength and majesty of the mighty Oba.