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An Uhunmwu-Ẹkuẹ bronze
An Uhunmwu-Ẹkuẹ bronze
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An Uhunmwu-Ẹkuẹ bronze in shape of a ram pendant or hip mask, Nigeria, partly greenish oxidised patina.
Benin ram or leopard masks—like other Benin hip masks—are inormaly hip ornaments, traditionally worn at the waist by high-ranking individuals in the Benin Kingdom (now southern Nigeria). But according of its height itt seems to be more a pendant or an object of the royal regalia of the Oba or a high ranking personaly in the Benin kingdom.
One of the most famous Benin ivory hip masks is the Queen Idia mask, which is not a ram mask but shows the face of a royal woman. In contrast, ram masks are more animal-form-based and often more symbolic than portrait-like.
Ram ot more common leopard masks may be worn by warriors and those involved in the military, and ivory masks only by the high-ranking Ezomo or Iyase (Blackmun in Plankensteiner, 2007, p.363. Meanwhile, brass pendants masks were the preserve of the Ọba, and he wore them in a set of three along the front of his belt (Blackmun in Plankensteiner, 2007, p.365.
Oftentimes, pendant masks also depict human faces, usually but not always, male. Although scholars do not agree, it has been argued these may depict the Ọba, or perhaps defeated chiefs (Blackmun in Plankensteiner, 2007, pp.358, 362. The faces of Portuguese men are also identifiable by their straight hair and beards, and attest to the importance of relationships between the Benin Kingdom and Portugal in the 16th century. The beautiful Queen Idia pendant masks, carved in ivory and which went on to become emblematic of FESTAC ‘77, are the notable exception to the predominantly male depictions on pendant masks.
Wolfgang Jaenicke, related exemplare
Wolfgang Jaenicke related exempla
Price on request.
Height: 30 cm
Weight: 1,5 kg (incl. stand)
