Benin Boat with Passengers, Early 20th Century CE
Bronze
21 x 42 x 13 cm
8 1/4 x 16 1/2 x 5 1/8 in
8 1/4 x 16 1/2 x 5 1/8 in
ES.6701
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This beautiful boat testifies to the artistic refinement of the artisans of Benin during the early 20th century, a period of 'renaissance' in the art of Benin after the British...
This beautiful boat testifies to the artistic refinement of the artisans of Benin during the early 20th century, a period of 'renaissance' in the art of Benin after the British punitive expedition of 1897. In the early 20th century, under the reign of the Oba Eweka II the Benin Arts and Crafts School was established, providing a new focal point for the transmission of the cultural heritage of the kingdom to new generations and ensuring the survival of the rich artistic traditions of Benin.
A group of passengers is here represented on a boat, in an iconography clearly reminiscent of earlier representations of the Oba (king) on a boat with its attendants, well attested prior to the punitive expedition of 1897. The rendering of details is elegantly synthetic and the uniform patination adds to the beauty of the artefact.
A group of passengers is here represented on a boat, in an iconography clearly reminiscent of earlier representations of the Oba (king) on a boat with its attendants, well attested prior to the punitive expedition of 1897. The rendering of details is elegantly synthetic and the uniform patination adds to the beauty of the artefact.