Antique Works of Art from Benin: Collected by Lieutenant-General Pitt RiversPitt-Rivers, Augustus Henry Lane-Fox
History
Antique Works of Art from Benin: Collected by Lieutenant-General Pitt Rivers
Pitt-Rivers, Augustus Henry Lane-Fox
Art objects -- Nigeria -- Benin City -- Catalogs
Fig. 306.--Thin brass head ornament for horse, and a broad band to
go along the top of the head and mane. The figure on the lower part
represents a crocodile, head downwards, ornamented with rows of copper
rivets. The band for the head is ornamented with a floral ornament
(floral guilloche) consisting of a sinuous stem with a leaf branching
out of each curve, similar to that shown on Figs. 209, 238 and 278.
The whole of the ornamentation is in repoussé work, and is probably
intended to be attached to leather.
Figs. 307 and 308.--Lower portion of an iron staff, surrounded by bands
of brass, ornamented with leopards' heads, frogs, looped strands and
guilloche pattern.
Fig. 309.--Square brass lamp, with four receptacles for wicks, one at
each corner. Ornamented with dots of repoussé work, and suspended by an
iron chain with long links and a hook.
Figs. 310 to 313.--Bronze lamp, apparently with gold in its
composition. The basin patched and riveted with copper. The bands for
suspension ornamented with straight line diaper pattern (Fig. 312) and
broken guilloche pattern (Fig. 313), united at top in a human figure
(Fig. 311), having the private parts strongly pronounced. There are
only one or two objects in this collection in which this peculiarity
occurs, which is so prevalent in the art of most savages.
DESCRIPTION OF PLATE XLI.
Figs. 314 to 316.--Wooden stool, the top slightly basin-shaped; the
stem carved to represent two interlaced serpents, but the interlacing
is not continuous, being broken by a square hole pierced through the
centre of the shaft. The heads of the serpents are conventional and
they bend towards the top and bottom on alternate sides. The tails of
the serpents terminate in the mouths of two frogs carved on the base
and underside of the top of the seat. A human figure is in the mouth
of the serpent resting on the base, holding a bill-hook in his left
hand, similar to Figs. 108 and 109, Plate XVIII. On the underside of
the seat, the serpent holds a leopard in its mouth; leopard holding
a palm branch in its mouth. The other figures carved on the base and
underside of the top are two degenerate mud-fish and two degenerate
elephants' heads, the proboscis terminating in a human hand, like Figs.
72 and 167. The seat is ornamented with an interlaced guilloche pattern
surrounding the top edge of the seat.
Fig. 317.--Wooden plaque, ornamented in the centre by a coil of
interlaced strap-work, bounded by two lines of zigzag pattern. On one
side a broad leaf-shaped sword with a ring pommel, similar to Figs. 326
and 327, Plate XLII, and Figs. 328 and 329, Plate XLIII. The handle is
ornamented with a straight line diaper pattern. On the other side is
represented an execution sword, similar to Fig. 110, Plate XVIII.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account