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Fragmentary figure of an Oba (King)

Edo (Benin)

Artwork Details

Fragmentary figure of an Oba (King)
20th century
Edo (Benin)
copper-alloy brass
4 3/4 x 1 15/16 x 2 5/16 in. (12.07 x 4.92 x 5.87 cm);4 9/16 x 2 x 1 11/16 in. (11.59 x 5.08 x 4.29 cm)
Gift and partial purchase from the estate of Kurt Delbanco in honor of Nicholas Delbanco
2017/1.678

Description

Subject Matter:

This sculpture was included in UMMA's exhibition, Wish You Were Here (August 2021–August 2022), through which UMMA curators and researchers investigated a selection of cultural works in the collection with an eye to understanding their provenance and rightful ownership. The team conducted research to understand whether this work was taken from the Benin Kingdom during the so-called “punitive expedition” of 1897, when the British sacked the capital of the Benin empire. At this time, sculptures and plaques were torn from the palace walls and taken to Europe, where the looted treasures were sold to museums and private collectors. The royal court of Benin and other Nigerian officials have been demanding their return for decades.

To determine whether this work was part of the looting, UMMA submitted it for consideration to Digital Benin, an online platform that brings together data about objects and cultural heritage looted from Benin City in 1897. The Digital Benin team determined that it was likely produced after 1930.

Usage Rights:

If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit https://umma.umich.edu/request-image/ for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.