One of the earliest of its type, these architectural finials would have decorated a Torah, the sacred text of Judaism, and feature dragon-like creatures and bells
Contemporary artist and MFA graphic designer Eben Haines compares 17th-century Dutch and Flemish self-portraits to his own work—whereas artists of the past depicted power in their self-portraits, Haines attempts to portray vulnerability.
Based on a print made a century earlier, this figure appeared again in a later Rubens painting as the artist attempted to create an authentic portrayal of an African king.
The audience hall in the palace in Benin City communicated to visiting ambassadors, traders, courtiers, and subjects the power and wealth of the Oba, or king.