Curriculum Materials: Amazing Animals in
Art
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Image 6 African, Nigeria (Benin) Essays: Questions: |
Background
Located in the tropical rain forest of southern Nigeria, the kingdom of Benin has long been one of the most highly developed cultural centers in West Africa. Its art tradition is famous for its sense of refinement and sophistication. Although little is known of Benin's early history, the kingdom was a great military and commercial power by the time the first Europeans arrived there in the late 15th century. The accounts of travelers during the 16th century describe the beautiful city of Benin, the kingdom's capital, as a highly organized religious and administrative center ruled by the oba. Vast and splendid, the royal palace complex was richly adorned with cast bronze decorations, carved wooden lintels, pillars, and beams, and ivory carvings.
The oba was believed to be the reincarnation of Benin's original ruler and, therefore, divine. He was the central figure in the kingdom--the supreme political, judicial, economic, and spiritual head of his people. Because the oba acted as intermediary between his divine ancestors and the Benin people, it was believed that he personally controlled the forces affecting the well-being of the entire kingdom. Regarded with a combination of awe, reverence, and fear, the oba had power over the life and death of his subjects.
Surrounded by elaborate ceremonies and rituals, the oba and his ancestors were commemorated with SYMBOLS of prestige in the form of bronze heads, figurines, and plaques. Most Benin art was made to glorify the oba and to pay homage to past obas, expressing the special power and privileges of this ruler and reinforcing the complex hierarchy of the court.
Benin's first direct contact with the European world came in the 15th century with the arrival of the Portuguese. The kingdom established diplomatic and trade relations with Portugal, and Portuguese traders supplied luxury items such as coral beads and cloth for ceremonial attire. In return Benin provided the Portuguese with items such as pepper, cloth, and carved ivory. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the Dutch, French, and English surpassed the Portuguese in trade with Benin. Dutch traders provided detailed descriptions of the royal palace and its artworks, which are particularly significant since this palace was destroyed by fire in 1897.
The kingdom of Benin flourished until the end of the 19th century. Then in 1897, it was overcome by a British military expedition. Despite the loss and destruction caused by this event, the kingdom still exists today within the modern state of Nigeria. The oba has been restored and continues to serve as a religious leader, though his political authority is greatly diminished.
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