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Altar group with Queen Mother

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Similar to depictions of the king, the Queen Mother's hands are supported here by two servants holding fans. In front of them are two further accompanying figures holding a fan and a staff respectively. There are five more female servants at the base of the group. The large number of memorial heads, altar groups and individual figures for Queen Mothers from the 18th - 19th centuries suggests that the office of Queen Mother was revalued with the restoration of kingship at the beginning of the 18th century. Not all kings of the late 17th century had been able to fill this office. Its importance was at an all-time low due to the large number of human sacrifices demanded by King Ewuakpe on the occasion of his mother's death, which led to his temporary removal as king.

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Cataloguing data

Object type
Plastic
Dimensions
Weight: 45 kg
Height: 24,3 cm
Depth: 26 cm
Width: 22 cm
Material/Technique
Brass
Current location
Ethnologisches Museum, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin
Inventory number
III C 20301

Provenance and sources

  • Production
    where
    Benin [kingdom]
  • Production
    when
    18th century-19th century.
    where
    Nigeria
    Benin
  • Collecting
    who
    Theodor Glücksmann - Former Possessors
  • Change of legal title:
    Acquisition
    Description
    18th century, commissioned by the Igun Eronmwon or Guild of Brass Casters in the Kingdom of Benin; probably looted in connection with the British conquest of Benin, 1897; possibly owned by Sir Ralph Moor until ca. 1905; probably auctioned at Stevens' Auction Rooms Ltd, London (J.C. Stevens) ca. 1905; gift of Theodor Glücksmann to the Royal Museum of Ethnology Berlin, 1905.
  • Assignment to a curated holding:
    Africa

Information about the record

Legal status metadata
CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED
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