A Bronze vessel from Igbo-Ukwu

A Bronze vessel from Igbo-Ukwu, Nigeria, oxidised partly greenish patina.

"The body of the vessel is textured and segmented, resembling natural forms but stylized in a highly artistic manner. The opening is set to one side, suggesting it may have been used for pouring liquids during ritual or ceremonial practices. The leopard, a symbol of power and prestige, reinforces the vessel’s association with status and spirituality. Crafted using the lost-wax casting technique, this piece exemplifies the technical and artistic mastery of early Igbo-Ukwu metalworkers." Source: Omorogbe, Aigbe. Shell Vessel with Leopard from Igbo-Ukwu, Bronze-cast(lost-wax), Private collection, Benin City



Shell Vessel with Leopard from Igbo-Ukwu, Source Wikimedia

In the Shell Vessel with Leopard, we can observe in even greater detail the tremendous skill of artists from Igbo-Ukwu and ascertain clues about the symbolic significance of the bronze imagery. Here, we see a spiraling conch shell surmounted by a stylized leopard. Both shell and leopard are encrusted with highly detailed low-relief decoration, comprised of concentric circles, parallel bands, and geometric millegrain designs. While many bronze objects from Igbo-Ukwo appear to have been made using the familiar lost-wax casting technique, some scholars have suggested that Igbo-Ukwu artists used a unique variation of the technique to create the finely detailed low-relief decorations, like those we see on the Shell Vessel with Leopard. In this variation, artists possibly used latex instead of beeswax to create the forms that would be  cast—a change in material that granted them the ability to achieve much finer details in the finished casting.

Height: 21 cm
Length: 28 cm
Weight: 2,5 kg