Benin kingdom

In this gallery, we look at striking examples of art from across the African continent. In gold, stone and metals, ancient and medieval African artists have not...

Edo Figure, Benin, Nigeria

Benin, one of the principal historic kingdoms of the western African forest region (fl. 13th–19th century). Tradition asserts that the Edo people became dissatisfied with the rule of a dynasty of semimythical kings, the ogisos, and in the 13th century they invited Prince Oranmiyan of Ife to rule

BENIN KINGDOM – 1892; Henry Gallwey’s Arrival For my piece, I wanted to create Henry Gallwey’s (British Vice-Consul of Oil Rivers Protectorate; later Niger Coast Protectorate) visit to the Benin Kingdom during Oba Ovonramwen’s reign before the British invasion that led to his exile in 1897. This would be considered as the kingdom’s end of independence as the Oba signed a treaty with the Henry which gave Britain legal justification for exerting greater influence in the region. My idea for…

A 16th century Benin mask, whose image was famously used as the symbol of FESTAC ’77 (World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture) is about to be auctioned off at Sotheby’s in …

One of the African Benin bronzes seen in British Museum.

Ancient African Mask of a King

The walls of Benin City were four times longer than the Great Wall of China and consumed a hundred times more material than the Great Pyramid of Cheops. 😮 Benin City was the capital of the Benin Kingdom, dating back to the 11th century, one of the oldest and most advanced states in western Africa. Benin City’s medieval moats and walls demarcated the kingdom in precise fractal patterns. 😍 #MeetAfrica #SpreadPositiveNarrativeAboutAfrica #africanhistory #nigeria #westafrica…