Matched Pair of Benin Brass Dwarfs, 19th Century CE - 20th Century CE
Brass
6.25
DC.0729 (LSO)
This pair of striking anthropomorphic figures was made in Benin, an ancient kingdom of Nigeria. They attest to a tradition, around 1000 years old, of extremely fine bronze (actually brass)...
This pair of striking anthropomorphic figures was made in Benin, an ancient kingdom of Nigeria. They attest to a tradition, around 1000 years old, of extremely fine bronze (actually brass) casting, with which they captured likenesses of members of the court. These figures are examples of court dwarfs. Medical conditions are not always easy to identify in ancient art, but the short limbs, concave chests and oversized heads of these pieces stand out against the refined lines of other contemporary Benin objects. They are a matching male/female pair, dressed in loincloth and necklaces. Their hair is ornate and arranged in roundels (male) and a grid pattern (female). Their forearms are especially short and seem, from their position, to have been designed for holding something. The male has an especially oversized navel. The patination is very light, and the metal has a bright, unsullied appearance.
Until the late 19th century, the Benin centres were a ruling power in Nigeria, dominating trade routes and amassing enormous wealth as the military and economic leaders of their ancient empire. This changed with the appearance of British imperial forces, which coveted the wealth of the royal palaces and found a series of excuses to mount a punitive expedition against the Oba’s forces in 1897. It was only at this point, the moment of its destruction, that the true achievements of the Benin polities became apparent to western scholars.
Benin royal palaces comprised a sprawling series of compounds containing accommodation, workshops and public buildings. As it grew, the buildings pertaining to previous Obas were either partially refurbished or left in favour of newer constructions; this led to a long history of royal rule written in sculptural works that rank among Africa’s finest; until European industrial advances in the 19th century, they were the finest bronzes (more properly brasses) ever made. Sculptures such as this were placed on the commemorative altars of dead Obas, which were decorated with heads, cast brass objects depicting the Oba and his followers, brass bells to awaken the spirits, rattle-staffs (ukhurhe) and magical objects that included Neolithic celts (known as “thunder stones”).
Dwarf figures are not usually associated with altars, although their inclusion on ancestor shrines has been noted. Dwarfs were a vital part of court society, and it is probable that they occupied a similar role to dwarfs, jesters and other entertainers in mediaeval European royal courts. The fact that they were immortalized in such an expensive manner indicates that they must have had some considerable status within the society. Dwarf figures are known from the 12th century onwards. However, the lack of patination and the comparatively expressionist style of these examples place them considerably later, probably reiterative pieces from the 20th or maybe the 19th century. Age notwithstanding, however, they a striking and well-made pair of pieces, and would be at home in any sophisticated setting or collection of African sculptures.
Until the late 19th century, the Benin centres were a ruling power in Nigeria, dominating trade routes and amassing enormous wealth as the military and economic leaders of their ancient empire. This changed with the appearance of British imperial forces, which coveted the wealth of the royal palaces and found a series of excuses to mount a punitive expedition against the Oba’s forces in 1897. It was only at this point, the moment of its destruction, that the true achievements of the Benin polities became apparent to western scholars.
Benin royal palaces comprised a sprawling series of compounds containing accommodation, workshops and public buildings. As it grew, the buildings pertaining to previous Obas were either partially refurbished or left in favour of newer constructions; this led to a long history of royal rule written in sculptural works that rank among Africa’s finest; until European industrial advances in the 19th century, they were the finest bronzes (more properly brasses) ever made. Sculptures such as this were placed on the commemorative altars of dead Obas, which were decorated with heads, cast brass objects depicting the Oba and his followers, brass bells to awaken the spirits, rattle-staffs (ukhurhe) and magical objects that included Neolithic celts (known as “thunder stones”).
Dwarf figures are not usually associated with altars, although their inclusion on ancestor shrines has been noted. Dwarfs were a vital part of court society, and it is probable that they occupied a similar role to dwarfs, jesters and other entertainers in mediaeval European royal courts. The fact that they were immortalized in such an expensive manner indicates that they must have had some considerable status within the society. Dwarf figures are known from the 12th century onwards. However, the lack of patination and the comparatively expressionist style of these examples place them considerably later, probably reiterative pieces from the 20th or maybe the 19th century. Age notwithstanding, however, they a striking and well-made pair of pieces, and would be at home in any sophisticated setting or collection of African sculptures.