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New photography of Benin Bronzes as part of my current @artfund work on the (in)visibility of colonial violence at the @Pitt_Rivers—by @school_of_arch photographer Ian Cartwright.
A few images from among the older photographs of the material taken in the British naval attack on Benin City 1897, currently in the care of the @Pitt_Rivers Museum—lots more to come after Ian's current photography #BeninDisplays
Brass fan with repoussé designs, taken from Benin City, Nigeria by the British in 1897, @Pitt_Rivers #BeninDisplays
Brass plaque with fish figure in relief #BeninDisplays
Cast bronze serpent broken from a larger plaque #BeninDisplays
Brass mask in the form of a crocodile's head #Benindisplays
Brass arm ornament with latticework in the form of coral beading, and depictions of the ceremonial sword (eben) #Benindisplays
Wooden casket overlaid with brass, in the form of a cow's or antelope's head #Benindisplays #BeninBronzes @Pitt_Rivers
Ivory tusk carved with human figures, mudfish, snakes, and crocodiles—fire damaged from the burning of Benin City in the aftermath of the British attack of 1897 #Benindisplays
Ceremonial sword (eben) #BeninDisplays
Carved ivory long-handled ladle, inlaid with brass. At the end of the handle is a cast brass figure of a Portuguese soldier with a musket. #BeninDisplays
Ivory commemorative head, with eyes inlaid with brass #BeninDisplays
Ivory pedestal bowl, inlaid with brass. Guilloche pattern around rim, figures of Europeans and birds on the stem, heads and hands beneath the bowl. #BeninDisplays @Pitt_Rivers
Gilded cast brass armlet with raised design of human heads, leopards and crocodiles, looted from Benin City in 1897 #Benindisplays
Cast brass altarpiece, with figures of a Queen Mother and six female attendants standing on top of a square base and smaller figures surround the base #BeninDisplays @Pitt_Rivers
Ivory armlet inlaid with brass and carved with mudfish and the heads of Europeans, looted in 1897 #BeninDisplays
Gilded brass armlet of pellet bells and representations of mudfish, linked together, looted in 1897 from Benin City #BeninDisplays @Pitt_Rivers
Brass armlet with four projections and insets of coral, looted in 1897 from Benin City #BeninDisplays @Pitt_Rivers
Wooden painted mask, recorded as having been looted from a shrine in Benin City "devoted to Igbile, a river spirit" in 1897 #BeninDisplays @Pitt_Rivers
Cast brass armlet with raised design of European heads and mudfish #BeninDisplays @Pitt_Rivers #Loot
Cast brass armlet with relief design of 'eben' swords and leopard heads. #BeninDisplays @Pitt_Rivers #Loot
Square brass base broken off from an altarpiece, with guilloche designs in relief. #BeninDisplays @Pitt_Rivers #Loot
Brass ring-shaped lidded vessel with incised decoration of fish and other animals #BeninDisplays @Pitt_Rivers #Loot
Just a sample of what's been previously photographed. New photos of all of the objects looted in 1897 currently in our care at @Pitt_Rivers is now being done thanks to @artfund—we'll share those images asap. Important they can be seen, especially as restitution dialogues develop.
