{"product_id":"fish-shaped-lidded-box","title":"Fish-Shaped Lidded Box","description":"\u003cp\u003eFish-Shaped Lidded Box in Copper Alloy\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKingdom of Benin, Benin City Region, Nigeria\u003cbr\u003eCopper alloy (“bronze”)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe cast box takes the complete form of a fish. Its squat body is divided into two precisely fitting halves; the upper part forms a removable lid. Finely punched and engraved scales cover its back, while fins and forked tail are accentuated by linear incisions. The circular eye and wide mouth lend the creature an almost watchful presence. An arched handle on the back connects the sculptural form with the functional vessel. The irregular greenish-brown patina enhances the impression of material density and historical use.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFormally and iconographically, the object belongs to the metalwork tradition of the historical Kingdom of Benin, whose center was in present-day Benin City in southern Nigeria. The highly developed art of casting in the Edo period was largely carried out by specialized court guilds and was closely linked to the representation of the Oba, the King of Benin.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFish—especially the amphibious mudfish or catfish—hold a special significance in Benin's courtly imagery. As creatures between water and land, they symbolize the transgression of boundaries and the Oba's connection to Olokun, the deity of the sea, wealth, and supernatural powers. In this form, everyday function and cosmological metaphor merge into a vessel that is both precious and symbolically charged.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLiterature (selection):\u003cbr\u003eEzra, Kate: Royal Art of Benin: The Perls Collection, New York 1992.\u003cbr\u003eBarley, Nigel: The Art of Benin, London 2010.\u003cbr\u003eBen-Amos, Paula Girshick: The Art of Benin, London 1995.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInv. No. MAZ22776\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSome of the information is generated by artificial intelligence and is based on published sources from the fields of ethnography, archaeology, and art history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHeight: 11 cm\u003cbr\u003eLength: 24 cm\u003cbr\u003eWeight: 660 g\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Galerie Wolfgang Jaenicke","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54771394281795,"sku":"MAZ22776","price":0.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0631\/3797\/2463\/files\/MAZ22776.jpg?v=1787819224","url":"https:\/\/wolfgang-jaenicke.com\/products\/fish-shaped-lidded-box","provider":"Galerie Wolfgang Jaenicke","version":"1.0","type":"link"}