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
Figs. 382 and 383.--Cubical metal lamp, with handle, chain and hook
for suspension. The hook is ornamented at its lower half with raised
transverse incised lines and lozenge-shaped incisions. It is attached
to a chain of three links, the upper and lower ones being oval; the
middle one is 8-shaped. The other end of the chain is attached to a
loop which projects from the head of a nude human figure (length of
figure is 2-1/2 inches), the feet of which are fixed by a loop of
copper wire to the handle of the bar; the handle has a zigzag guilloche
pattern on the upper side. There is a human face in relief on the sides
of the body of the lamp, with fish-scale pattern on the groundwork. The
borders of the lamp are raised rope pattern, and have a double loop
knot at each corner. The lamp has four legs, and from the centre of the
bottom is a small round piece projecting, and not so long as the legs.
It is capped with a circular bottom, which is decorated with incised
concentric circles. Height from top of hook when suspended is 26 inches.
Fig. 384.--Metal armlet, ornamented with five rows of inlaid copper
conventionalized cat-fishes and human faces; the latter have long hair,
long whiskers, and long noses. Height, 5-7/8 inches.
Fig. 385.--Metal box, cylindrical in form, ornamented with three
longitudinal rows of ox skulls in relief, and incised human faces.
Height, 7 inches.
Fig. 386.--Wooden comb, with carved design.
Fig. 387.--Cast metal bowl. The small opening at the top is situated
in the centre of an incised rosette; this, together with four similar
but smaller rosettes, are coated with a copper wash. On the base is a
rosette within a circle.
Fig. 388.--Cast metal bowl. Distributed over the body of the bowl are
eleven finely executed Maltese crosses.
Fig. 389.--Quadrangular bronze bell, ornamented on three sides with
open reticulated work, framed in by a border of the guilloche pattern.
A conventional face, with long hair and beard, is on one of the
reticulated sides. Near the base of the ornamented side is a small
roughly circular hole. Height, 6 inches.
DESCRIPTION OF PLATE L.
Figs. 390 and 391.--Large metal bell. On one side is a human face in
relief, with snakes issuing from the nostrils. Each of the two snakes
grasps a mud or cat fish in its jaws. The ears project from the sides
of the head-dress, and the neck has a frill consisting of a double
row of perforated circles. The handle has an incised herring-bone
ornamentation. Projecting from the sides of the bell are eight knobs.
The base and crown of the bell have a border of strap-work pattern.
Height of bell, 10 inches.
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