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Bini O Edo (Benin) · Nigeria
Reference: BRN-8
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- Height
- 22 cm
- Material
- Bronze
Dwarf of the court of the Edo kingdom of Benin-City. Benin-City is a city in Nigeria located two hundred and fifteen kilometres south-west of Ife, in…
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Full original description
Dwarf of the court of the Edo kingdom of Benin-City. Benin-City is a city in Nigeria located two hundred and fifteen kilometres south-west of Ife, in the direction of Niger. At present there are about eight hundred thousand Edos. They belong to a dynasty that has an antiquity of one thousand hundred years. The object of these statuettes was to be observed as ornament, for example, as the plaques adorning the royal palace.
The art of the Edo or Bini resembles that of the YorubaHis mastery in the art of melting bronze has remained, for many centuries, a wealth of his cultural heritage.
The midgets occupied a high position in court, as they were close to the king and were part of his entourage or the entourage of the chief army chiefs.They served as fun and distraction while imposing some respect as an exception to human nature. The first bronze dwarf of the court of Benin, now known, dates from the century XVI.
Further technical information
- Attributed period
- Mid-century XX or earlier.
Details transcribed from the original catalogue; they are not a recent physical inspection.
Country on the map
Nigeria. The country associated with the catalog is shown, not the current location of the piece.
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Attributions, dates and accounts come from the preserved catalogue. They do not constitute certification of authenticity or provenance. An object’s presence on this website does not mean it is available for sale.
