A male bronze head Benin related, Nigeria, of unknown age; encrusted patina, iron inlays on forehead and eyes. To verify the age of these bronzes is only possible by scientific methods.

"The question of fundamental dating - still one of the main questions of Benin research - Wolf approaches, however, always very carefully and with respect. He makes it clear that must remain open, whether his cognition actually" solid clues to the individual by no means completed dating of the Bronzes. "Sylvia Dolz, Treasures of Africa / Benin, the donation Baessler, Museum of Ethnology Dresden, 2006, page 13.

The cited Siegfried Wolf was a scientist and ethnologist, Sylvia Dolz arguesaccording of this point of view that neither a natural sciences (especially TL and metallurgical analysis) nor an art-historical / stylistic method alone lead to useful results in terms of age determination. Only a combination of several reviews can lead to useful results. For us as scientific laymen, it is not possible to make relevant, extremely complex analyzes, so we can not give any information on the age and associated possible restitution claims. We have bought this item as a 20th century copy and will resell it as well: a good copy.

The currently most popular Art historian, Bénédicte Savoy, Paris / Berlin, who was not only intensively involved with "Restitution-Questions" within the framework of the Humboldt Forum, was informed about this offer. We hope to contribute in this way with the greatest possible transparency a helpful input to the not unproblematic liaison between art trade and science.

Lit.: Philip J. C. Dark, An introduction to Benin art and technology, Oxford 1973. Phillips, T. (ed), Africa. The Art of a Continent, 1999. Paula Girshick Ben-Amos, The art of Benin, 1995. Ekpo Eyo, Frank Willett, Kunstschätze aus Alt-Nigeria, Mainz 1983. Barbara Plankensteiner (Hg.), Benin. Könige und Rituale. Höfische Kunst aus Nigeria, Wien 2007.

sold

Height: 26 cm
Weight: 2,46 kg