AFRICAN ART - TRIBAL CASTING - BENIN - BRONZE HORSE & RIDER. - $1,400 - (Colonial Heights, VA)

AFRICAN TRIBAL ANTIQUE - BENIN - CAST BRONZE HORSE RIDER From private collection. Acquired in Togo. 14 inch's tall, about 10 inch's long, 3 1/3 inch's thick and weighs 6 pounds 4 ounces. It was acquired by the current owner in West Africa and is known to be from Benin. Research has shown it is an authentic Benin cast bronze figure artifact. This is an extraordinary well preserved Cast Bronze Horse Rider Figure. The following was "borrowed" from information on a very similar Benin cast bronze figure currently in an African Gallery: "This extraordinary well preserved Bronze of the Benin Kingdom in what is now Nigeria exhibits a virtuosity and sophistication of style that has astonished the Western world since they were visited in the 15th century. Their work was brought to Europe following a punitive expedition by the British in 1897, causing a great sensation. The people of Benin, called Bini, are descendant from the Ife, also known for their remarkable Bronze. Almost all Benin art was created to honor the King or Oba and Queen Mothers". "The Benin Kingdom was strong through out the 15th and 16th Centuries and was located in West Africa bordering what is now Nigeria and Togo. Benin Clans were ruled by a King which was known as the Oba and who was the divine ruler of the Benin people. The people of Benin are called Bini and are descended from the Ife peoples. The making of these Benin bronzes were strictly considered court art and were made exclusively for the palace of the Oba and were designed to venerate the achievements and memories of the Obas and their Queens also called Iyobas or Queen Mothers who ruled through out the time of the kingdom. The metal-smiths were very talented and used complex wax casting techniques which were far ahead of their time. Their work in bronze, copper and iron was extremely refined and their methods of metal smelting, forging and lost wax methods exceeded any seen in Europe until the 19th century. Lost-wax casting sometimes called …

Posted in Colonial Heights, VA, Antiques
From ebay.com - 1 month ago