Benin Bronze Cock Rooster Statue West African Sculpture 17.75" - Exquisite Detail - Gorgeous Patina - SPLENDID Start Price USD 1,295.00 Current Price USD 1,295.00 Time Left - Bid Count 0 Buy It Now Price - Reserve Price - Start Time Thursday, July 24, 2008 End Time Tuesday, July 29, 2008 Location Santa Fe, NM See more about 'Benin Bronze Cock Rooster Statue West African Sculpture' Description   Benin Bronze Cock Rooster Queen Mother's Altar StatueAntique African Tribal Sculpture Old Benin Kingdom, Nigeria     An Exquisite Benin Bronze Cock Rooster Shrine Sculpture Antique Royal African Tribal Art - Queen Mother's Altar Statue - Benin Kingdom Nigeria Collected from the: Beni peoples of the old Benin Kingdom now Nigeria, West Africa Material: Bronze, old lost wax casting of copper/tin alloy Period: Late 18th to very early 19th century, conservatively Dimensions: 17.75" height, 6.75" width, 16" length; weight is 20 pounds Condition: Excellent - exhibits good signs of age, iconography, metal content, tool signatures and anticipated minute casting imperfections typical of the early lost wax casting process (known as "blow holes") all appear appropriate for the period. Cock's comb curls to display a single hairline fracture of metal, this area tests completely stable and poses no further threat to the integrity of this piece. Please click on the photos below to fully appreciate this important old work! Be sure to see the beautiful AFRICAN BRONZES in our eBay store! Or explore our fascinating AFRICAN SCULPTURE ! Click Images to Enlarge Information on Benin Cock Rooster Sculptures"Among the most splendid (Benin) animal figures is the cock, which was a part of the altars of the Queen Mothers. On a square base, formed as a plate and adorned with guilloche patterns, the harmony of fluid and delicately engraved lines covering its entire body culminates in the remarkable vivacity of the tail feathers. The large, sharp spurs are primarily thought to indicate the strength and superiority of the male animal." One mythical tradition places the cock as a guardian spirit and a kind of spy in the earlier Ogiso dynasty. Later traditions indicate that the alters of deceased Queen Mothers included at least one such cock figure. Nevadomsky suggests that the cock was linked with the Oba's eldest wife, Eson, as her title was "Eson, Ogordo Madagba", or literally - the cock that crows at the head of the harem - a reference to her dominating position in the palace, as well as to her strictness and aggressive behavior. Thus it is hardly surprising for the Queen Mother - unlike other women - to have many male privileges and powers, such as her own palace, personnel, and income, the use of magical forces during martial enterprises, even including a male symbol as a sign of respect on her altar. The oldest wife of the king was also responsible for teaching court ritual and etiquette to the younger women in the harem. As the veneration of the Queen Mother increased during the rule of Esigie, it follows that the oldest cock must have been cast shortly thereafter, in approximately the first half of the seventeenth century." Bronze roosters were placed on ancestral altars commemorating the queen mothers of Benin. Their presence on a royal altar was first noted during the occupation of Benin following the British Punitive Expedition of 1897. Jeans described altars found inside the Oba's compound, including an "altar on which stood a pair of bronze cocks", and on which goats and fouls were sacrificed. Ben-Amos reports that after the death of a Queen Mother, the Oba establishes and altar in her honor in his own palace, where he performs private commemorative rituals every year. Roosters were also placed on the commemorative altars established in the Queen Mother's own palace in the Uselu section of Benin City. Two such altars were photographed by Eckart von Sydow during his 1936 visit to Benin. Ben-Amos suggests that roosters, hens, rams, cows, mudfish, and other sacrificial animals in Benin art may refer to the wealth required in offering sacrifices, the social hierarchy that is confirmed through the distribution of sacrificial meat, and, more broadly, the ideal world order that is demonstrated by the animals' submission to the dominance of man." Benin Tribal History Benin, the principle kingdom of western Africa from the 12th to 19th centuries, was founded by the Edo peoples; ruled by the Oba, the divine ruler or king whose ancestral lineage has ruled since the 15th century; and has long received world wide acclaim for its exceptional art, especially remarkable bronzes created from the old lost wax method of casting. The people of Benin (the Bini) were direct descendants of the Ife, also renowned for bronze art. Traditionally Benin art was created to honor the Oba who controlled the use and production of all ivoire and bronze materials. Benin traded with the Portuguese and Dutch during the 15th century, allowing the first pieces of this incredible work to be brought out into the Western World. Some believe that influence of this contact can be seen in the art since that period. The British burned and conquered Benin City in 1897, leaving the remains of a once flourishing kingdom to be incorporated into British Nigeria. Each bronze was first hand sculpted, then cast through the lost wax process, resulting in unique, one-of-a-kind art that has amazed the world with its complexity of detailed designs and sophisticated style. It is widely believed that Benin's use of bronze symbolized power, continuity, endurance, and permanence of the rulers, the Benin kingdom, and the Bini themselves. In 1914 the Oba lifted restrictions on art sales and the bronze guilds began to create for the public, making these authentic old bronzes a rare and treasured find indeed. Chronology of Benin Art As a result of the abrupt and violent manner in which most royal art forms of the kingdom of Benin were removed from their original context by the British in 1897, there is a dearth of documentation to situate individual works historically. This has led art historians to propose stylistic theories concerning their chronological execution. The current accepted theory is that the smallest and most naturalistic objects are the earliest, with a gradual progression toward increased size and degree of stylization. Between 1500 and 1800, the Benin kingdom gradually grew in both wealth and power, primarily through extensive trade with the Portuguese. In the arts, this expansion is manifested in a dramatic increase in the size and ostentation of royal regalia. Crowns of Edo kings grew steadily more encrusted with coral beading and this appears to have been reflected in changes in commemorative representations as well. Additionally, the largess of royal patronage decreased artisans’ incentive to be judicious with expensive materials, allowing them to create ever-larger objects. Therefore, in the attempt to construct a chronology for Benin art, it makes sense that later castings would be both heavier and larger objects that conspicuously consumed greater quantities of imported brass and emphasized the more elaborate regalia. Cat. # sbbc1 ************************************************************************************ THANK YOU FOR SHOPPING SANTA FE AFRICAN ART !!! We strive to earn your ***** FIVE STAR ***** rating in all 4 categories!If you are not 5 star satisfied, please contact us immediately!Your Satisfaction is Unconditionally Guaranteed ! ************************************************************************************ Multiple purchases = SUBSTANTIAL savings on your shipping costs! Never a charge for handling! 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