Catalogue
Catalog #
E428165-0
Institution
Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
Edo designations
English designations
Pendant Mask
Categories
Ceremonial Regalia
Location
10th St. & Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20560, United States
Pendant Mask
Pendant Mask

Provenance

4 events
Production
unknown to February 22, 1897 (day approximate)
The object was produced by Unknown member(s) of the Igun-Ẹrọnmwọn guild in Benin City.
Looted
February 22, 1897 (day approximate) to June 1899 (year approximate)
The object was looted by Unknown member of the British colonial military campaign on Benin - February 1897 from Benin Kingdom.
Auction
April 25, 1957
The object was auctioned to Joseph Herman Hirshhorn and D.C Washington Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden through Inc. O'Reilly's Plaza Art Galleries in New York City.
Donation
August 28, 1992
The object was donated by D.C Washington Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History with its destination in Washington, D.C..

Institution data

Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
The data was transferred directly by the institution.
Last updated: 2022-01-18
Language: english
Institution fieldValue
Accession number
object id
370312
Catalog #
object id
E428165-0
Object Name
designation
Hip Mask Pendant
Material
material
Copper alloy
Measurement
dimensions
Length 15 cm; Width 10 cm; Height 3.5 cm
Index Term
object type
Mask
Count
object count
1
Date created
date made
[not dated]
Site
production place
Nigeria, Edo State / Kingdom of Benin, Benin City
Donor / Transactor
prior source
Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden
Collector
provenance
Date collected
date collected
Before 1957
Culture
ethnic attribution
Edo
Accession date
accession date
8/28/92
Notes
notes
Provenience undocumented (Benin City, Nigeria; in England by late 19th c; Plaza Art Galleries of NY, to 4/25/57; Joseph Hirshhorn purchase 4/25/57-5/17/66). Plaza Art Galleries auction brochure described piece as "cire perdue (lost wax) royal portrait sculpture; found in the old palace ruins. Brought to England before the Nigerian government's ban on export of bronze antiquities." Vetted by William Fagg and Philip Dark. Exhibited in Hirshhorn Museum (HMSG) "Benin Art," Dec 1978 - (?) 1980. Description: oval, hollow mask has stylized facial features with round bulging eyes, wide nose, full lips, & small ears placed close to the eyes. Forehead has 6 scarification marks across. Chin has fan-shaped plug with raised concentric semi-circular design. Has close-fitting cap with diamond-shaped design. Around edge of mask is border of loops with 2 bigger ones, one at top center & other at bottom center. SI Archives acc. 86-136, box 1
Digital negative #
images
NMNH-2022-00206; NMNH-2022-00207; NMNH-2022-00208; NMNH-2022-00209
Online record
weblink
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/3b77eb5eb-9db9-4b02-a337-c1c8ec6fd83e
Photos Online?
Sensitive Content

Digital Benin collates digital material from institutions, and some of this material is inherently colonial and contains words, terms and phrases that are inaccurate, derogatory and harmful towards African and African diasporic communities. Catalogue transcriptions, book titles, exhibition titles and museum titles may contain harmful terms. We recognise the potential for the material to cause physical and mental distress as well as evoke strong emotions. Owing to the scale of the collection’s data, a process to implement sensitive-content warnings in the displayed data is still incomplete. The material within the catalogue does not represent Digital Benin’s views. Digital Benin maintains a strong anti-colonial, anti-racist position and affirms its support for centring the humanity of historically marginalised and disenfranchised communities. Read more about the background of this statement here

Info
About
Other