What is an Oba in art?
The title of “oba,” or king, is passed on to the firstborn son of each successive king of Benin at the time of his death. The first obligation of each new king during this transfer of rule is to commemorate his father with a portrait cast in bronze and placed on an altar at the palace.
What is the history of Benin art?
Primarily made of cast bronze and carved ivory, Benin art was produced mainly for the court of the Oba of Benin – a divine ruler for whom the craftsmen produced a range of ceremonially significant objects. This original significance is of great importance in Benin.
Who founded Benin art?
A new ruler, Oba Eweka II, was instituted in 1914 and he established the Benin Arts Council in the mid-1920s. Eweka II taught Ovia Idah, a noted ebony carver.
What is the Oba wearing?
This commemorative cast-brass sculpture depicts the idealized likeness of an oba, or king, wearing a woven cap of coral beads, with lateral strands of coral suspended around both ears. The title of oba is passed on to the firstborn son at the time of the ruler’s death.
What does Oba mean in Benin society?
ruler
Oba means ruler in the Yoruba and Bini languages of West Africa. Kings in Yorubaland, a region which is in the modern republics of Benin, Nigeria and Togo, make use of it as a pre-nominal honorific. Examples of Yoruba bearers include Oba Ogunwusi of Ile-Ife, Oba Adeyemi of Oyo, and Oba Akiolu of Lagos.
Who is the first Oba of Benin?
Ewuare the Great
Ewuare the Great is often referred to as the first Oba of Benin not because he was the first to rule the Benin Kingdom but because he was the first Oba to transform its fortunes.
What is the oldest art culture in Nigeria?
Nok culture
The Nok culture is dated to have flourished between the years 2000BC and 300AD, a making it the oldest form of traditional art not just in Nigeria but West Africa.
Who is the most powerful king in Nigeria?
Top 10 Most Powerful Kings in Nigeria
- The Emir of Kano. His Royal Highness Mallam Muhammad Sanusi II is currently the Emir of Kano.
- Alaafin of Oyo.
- Sultan of Sokoto.
- Ooni of Ile-Ife.
- Dein of Agbor.
- Oba of Benin.
- Oba of Lagos.
- Olu of Warri.
Where did the art of Benin come from?
The Benin Art is our topic for today and Our team is sure you will find it interesting. According to history, Benin Art originated from the powerful ancient Benin kingdom, located in the south-south region of Nigeria.
Why was the Oba important to the Kingdom of Benin?
The oba gently taps the ivory instrument, creating a rhythmic sound to calm and dismiss unruly spirits from the kingdom. The oba is referred to metaphorically as “the leopard of the house,” and images of the beautiful, cunning, and immensely dangerous cat appear frequently in Benin’s royal arts.
Where are the bronze plaques from Benin City?
The plaques were deinstalled from the audience court in Benin City before the beginning of the eighteenth century, and kept in a storeroom within the palace until the British invasion of 1897. They are kept today in museums in Nigeria, the UK, Germany, Austria, and the United States.
What kind of Stones did the Oba of Benin use?
Coral and red stones such as jasper and agate are also filled with supernatural energy, or ase, as are elephant ivory and brass, two other valuable materials that the oba has historically controlled. Despite his divine status, the oba can not rule alone.
