A FINE BENIN BRASS WARRIOR CHIEF PLAQUE

Details

A FINE BENIN BRASS WARRIOR CHIEF PLAQUE
NIGERIA, EDO, COURT OF BENIN
16-17TH CENTURY

Depicting warrior wearing a skirt secured by a sash, the left hand resting on the hip, the right raised upwards holding a sword, also wearing a toothed necklace, coral bead choker covering chin, prominent featured face, feather affixed to left side of head, the background with four relief rosettes at corners, stipple and incised floral incised decorations, six minor losses to background, fine reddish patina.
21in. high (53.3cm.)

Provenance

"E.A.T." collection, Hessen, Germany
Sotheby's New York, 1984, no. 231

Literature

Schaedler, 1973, p. 195, no. 268

Lot Essay

Although there is no information regarding the provenance of this plaque after it was taken from Benin City, it is very similar to others in Berlin (von Luschan, 1919, taf. 18), the British Museum (Dalton and Read, pl. XXIII) and at the Saint Gallen Museum, Switzerland (Lehuard, 1986, p. 13). It is also listed in Dark's catalogue raisonné (1973, p. 2.1.110) as no. X5/52.