"Dwarfs: A first. rather scant reference to the famous dwarfs now in Vienna´s Benin Collection comes from H. Ling Roth, in his book Great Benin: " While I was still in the city, two solid cast brass figures were brought in. They represented dwars typical of cretism; they were without hats, and somply clothed..." Reproduced on page 219 of his book was the first photograph (5 x4 cm) that the expedition doctor, Dr. Allman, took of them..."

Source: Armand Duchateau, Benin Royal Art of Africa page 73 - 76

Singular identities: The 1897 British conquest compromisedBenin´´ rich stylistic and iconographic legacies. Because of looting, the hereditary Edo guilds lost their visual references, and the subsequent interrgnum deprived them of their traditional patrons. These disruptions hamper the identification and interpretation of many pre-1897 objects. Although the mon archy was restored in 1914, and colonialism ended nearly forty yearsago, political, religious and cultural changes still reverbrate.

Source: Kathy Curnow: Kulte, Künstler, Könige in Afrika - Tradition und Moderne in Südnigeria, Page 83 - 86; exhibited Galerie Wolfgang Jaenicke Berlin, Invitation 1.8.19

Felix von Luschan: Die Altertümer von Benin, Band 1, Berlin 1919, S. 299/ 300., Philip J. C. Dark: An introduction to Benin art and technology, Oxford 1973, S. 97, Paula Girshick BEN-AMOS: The art of Benin, London 1995, S. 43.  Barbara Plankensteiner (Hg.): Benin. Könige und Rituale. Höfische Kunst aus Nigeria, Wien 2007, S. 308 - 311.

18.000 - 24.000,- Euro

Height: 57 cm / 58 cm
Weight: 7,8 kg / 8,0 kg