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Nigeria

mama wata — This large sculpture was made for Mami Wata, pidgin English for “Mother of Water," a charismatic being of great spiritual power celebrated in West and Central Africa and reimagined as deities such as La Sirene (Haitian Vodou) and Yemanjá (Candomblé and Umbanda) in Afro-Atlantic spiritual traditions.

“Mami Wata” figure, Igbo artist

janus grid — This exceptional mask has a solid wooden core carved with two similar faces in opposing directions, often referred to as a Janus face.

Janus-Faced Headdress (Ejagham or Bale peoples)

by Dr. Christa Clarke

Ikenga (Igbo peoples) — These carved wooden figures have human faces but animal attributes, and reflected the achievements of their owners.

Ikenga (Igbo peoples)

by Dr. Peri Klemm, Dr. Steven Zucker and Sunanda K. Sanyal

This brass head clearly portrays a person of status and authority, possibly a king (ooni) of Ife

Head of a ruler, Ife

by The British Museum

Twin figures known as Ère Ìbejì reveal how a Yorùbá mother navigates the loss of twins

Yorùbá artist, pair of twin figures (Ère ...

by Dr. Peri Klemm and Dr. Steven Zucker

Pair of leopards, made of ivory with metal inlay. Edo people, Benin, 19th century. © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, 2017. — Royal patrons, artists, and power in the Kingdom of Benin.

Benin Art: Patrons, Artists and Current Controversies

by Dr. Kathryn Wysocki Gunsch

Artist Unidentified, Relief plaque showing a dignitary with drum and two attendants striking gongs, c. 1530-1570, copper alloy (Robert Owen Lehman Collection, Courtesy Museum of Fine Arts, Boston) — 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.

The Imagery of Power on Benin Bronze ...

by Dr. Kathryn Wysocki Gunsch

The convention of elongating the figure can be seen in many of Olowe’s carvings, to visually highlight the importance of the head that holds the inner spiritual power, dignity and strength, and sacredness of one’s destiny.

Olowe of Ise, Veranda Post of Enthroned ...

by Deborah Stokes

Detail of Oba, Benin plaque, MFA, Boston — How to impress your courtiers: a lesson from the Kingdom of Benin

Benin Plaques

by Dr. Kathryn Wysocki Gunsch and Dr. Beth Harris

Benin ivory mask, HENI talks — This mask depicts the king’s mother, whose ruthless political prowess ensured that her son became king.

Benin ivory mask (Edo peoples)

The high rate of twining among the Yoruba peoples gave birth to a genre of spiritual objects for mourning parents.

Ere Ibeji Figures (Yoruba peoples)

by Dr. Peri Klemm

Queen Mother Pendant Mask (Iyoba), 16th century, Edo peoples, Court of Benin, Nigeria, ivory, iron, copper, 23.8 x 12.7 x 8.3 cm (The Metropolitan Museum of Art) — This intricate ivory mask symbolizes the king’s dual nature as human and divine—and honors his mother.

Queen Mother Pendant Mask (Iyoba) (Edo peoples)

by Dr. Christa Clarke

Little was known of the Ife civilization—that is until seventeen cast bronze heads were found by chance.

Ife uncovered

by The British Museum

Ife’s refined and highly naturalistic sculptural tradition was unlike anything else in Africa at the time.

Kingdom of Ife: Sculptures from West Africa

by The British Museum

Benin’s brass-casting tradition combined West African smelting techniques with imported brass from Europe.

Benin and the Portuguese

by The British Museum

Brass plaque showing the Oba of Benin with attendants, 16th century, 51 x 37 cm, Edo peoples, Benin, Nigeria © Trustees of the British Museum — The Benin bronzes created a stir, completely changing European understanding of African history.

The Kingdom of Benin

by The British Museum

iphri grid — Offerings to these shrines were believed to contribute to the success of such male occupations

Shrine (Iphri) (Western Ijo peoples)

by Dr. Christa Clarke

Uche Okeke, Owls, From the Oja Suite, 1962, ink on paper © The Estate of Uche Okeke (Newark Museum) — Nigerian independence inspired artists to develop a new national and artistic identity based on “natural synthesis.”

Uche Okeke

by Perrin Lathrop

Plaque: Equestrian Oba and Attendants, 1550-1680, Nigeria, Court of Benin, Edo peoples, brass, 49.5 x 41.9 x 11.4 cm (The Metropolitan Museum of Art) — This plaque depicting the Oba (king) and his imperial retinue hung outside the palace, detailing dynastic history.

Benin plaque: Equestrian Oba and Attendants

Veranda post (detail) — This equestrian king is clearly powerful, but he rests on a nude female figure from whom his power is derived.

Olowe of Ise, veranda post (Yoruba peoples)

by Dr. Peri Klemm, Dr. Steven Zucker and Dr. Christa Clarke

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