The Art of the Edo
Edo State, the heartbeat of Nigeria has a rich, ancient and diverse articstic history that may surprise you.
Nigeria is one of the most art-oriented countries in Africa. It consists of many different tribes who possess different unique cultural artistic styles and tastes. One of those places is Edo state. Known as the heartbeat of the nation, Edo state is located in the south-eastern part of Nigeria. Benin City, its capital, is inhabited by the Bini people who, apart from other exciting forms of art they are involved in, specialise in a different but unique form of art-Bronze casting and sculpture-related artworks. The map below shows where Nigeria can be found in Africa, with a detail of the Edo state.
Although the bronze below dates from the seventeenth century, The Bini kingdom has reigned since as far back as 1440 when the great Oba Ewaere ruled. Since that time, Bini artworks were created in exaltation of the Oba and his court and to date Bini artworks have a great connection to the Bini monarchy . If not connected to royalty it is usually something related to the everyday life or the parables and proverbs of the Bini. Below are a few examples of likely subjects of an Edo-made artwork.
The Rooster
The rooster is a bird some people would know as just a male fowl but it is a little bit more than that. It is a fully matured male fowl; mature enough to cry “cock-a doodle-doo!!!” But the features this creature portrays have a deeper meaning to the bini people. The rooster is popular for waking up people in the morning, being brave in the midst of its enemies and having a sense of responsibility over other fowls in its immediate territory. They make artworks of this creature to have as an idol. It is known to the people that in the household, folklore and court life that the rooster can be a sacrificial animal, the leader of the barnyard and a spy.
Known as Okpa in Edo language, its name is given to the King’s senior wife -usually the first wife – who is in charge of all feminine activities in the palace, in charge of the King’s other wives and the palace maids and so on. Paintings and sculptures of a rooster still reside in many shrines of significance. The picture below is an example of a Bini sculpture of a rooster.
This particular rooster, a court style 18th century sculpture shows the broad use of surface patterns and a technical proficiency in lost-wax casting that shows the uniqueness of the Bini Kingdom brass casters.
The Bini Woman
Edo men appreciate and respect their wives. In the mid 16th century Oba Esigie gave his mother, Idia, the title of the “Iye-Oba”-meaning mother of the King-one of the messages was to encourage the people to treat women with respect and love.
The picture of a young female above illustrates a role instead of a specific person – that is how most Edo artworks are created. They are not just a stone copy of something which is likely worth remembering but an artwork made to signify a unique subject. Popular to the Edo people, the crest hairstyle and the coral bead jewellery identify her as the Queen’s maid or a link to the royal family. The second latter shows female figures holding gongs which again suggests an association with an Iye-Oba.
The Oba
Most of Bini artworks, as stated above, have always been made in exaltation of the King so it isn’t surprising to find out that the Oba’s palace contains lots of art which are made for different purposes. Some are made as idols in representation of their beliefs and culture; some are made in honour and memory of the departed while some are made for decoration – perhaps to showcase the unique craftiness of the Edo people. Below is an example of an artwork made in relation to royalty.
The King’s Head
The appearance of the King, in addition to his majestic posture and excellent non-wavering movement, is tinted with coral beads. Every piece of the crown, the necklace has a touch of design-mostly with coral beads. The picture above, for example, is an 18th century artwork illustrating a brief detail of what the Oba’s crown looks like on his head. Below is a statue of the Oba in Benin City. This is situated right in the middle of the city and stands as a testament to this ancient and powerful monarch.
Image via Wikipedia
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An excellent article, Nosa. This revealed a lot about African art that I did not realise!
Blogged here – http://www.yourlewishamcollege.com/2009/04/art-of-edo.html
Great stuff!
Nosa, this is wonderful! I was fascinating / captivated through the whole article — it is so informative and enjoyable to read. Nicely done!
Excellent and informative article, Nosa.
Really interesting article. I hope we hear more from you!
Joy! I love art, -African art holds a specialness.
-thestickman
I learned something new today, thanks to your well written work. This was different and interesting.
Excellent piece, well written, and I learned alot. Well done
Great job and announcing a fascinating culture, is worth more because this culture is so far from your culture.
A very talented writer! I would like to read your poetry sometime:)
Excellent article. I have learned quite a bit from your well researched and informative article.
excellent engrossing piece of work
Very informative piece of work.Hope to see more from you.
nice selection of pics
your articles can not be more true than what you wrote. Please
write more about the warriors of the great Bini kingdom. Nice work keep it up.
Two aspects of Benin art have not found a place in West African discussions of brass casting from the Igbo, Edo, Ife Culturalcomplex. When British forces invaded Benin and looted numerous pieces of fine art, art that has the darker side associated with a slave trade in which millions were kidnapped.
There was numerous brass pieces in possession of many outside of Benin and theseoften were buried in the fear of looting that followed in the social collapse caused bythis invasion. These over the years have been dug up, since many were never recovered by original owners and sold on the open market.
When hostilities began in 1967, to come to be known as the Biafra War, burial fo brass occured and one must remeber that brass casting of art pieces resumed after the 1897 invasion. Large numers of brass castings not recovered by original owners as that time following 1897 invasion. We now have the Art market in Benin brass, copies are made of the old pieces now held illegally in Britishm German and American museums, loot is loot and having a snotty nose does not justify looting and possession of stolen art. One must look at the Nazi looting of Art to have a good comparison. Some of that looted art came back to the families of which it was taken, but not the vast majority.
Looting of brass from sites of ancient civilizations began before Europeans entered the scene. Brass can and is remelted often.
Only in Nigeria do we see a serious attempt to maintain this craft, art for those who do not like the term craft, in this modern age. Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Mali, Cameroon and Ghana has seen this craft deminish as the modern age progresses.
Please keep inmind that before the brionze age there was a copper age. This story of copper over the ages is poorly understood and definately not well documented. Those of us who have a great admiration of this craft in W. Africa need to devote our efforts to reveaaling this hidden past, all aspects thereof if our children and their childrens children will have an opportunity to know a long and often tragic history of brass, bronze, copper in W. Africa.
Me da se Pa pa Pa
This is a great article, and certainly enlighten me on African art. more please.
am Osahon from Edo state, just wanna say am proud to see the art of our fourfathers come this far
This very well researched and written! For as far back as the artwork dates, it is very well crafted and quite intricate!
Very interesting – your unique and creative writing style kept me glued to the very last word. Well done!
NICE ARTICLE…!WELL DONE…!
