Catalogue
Catalog #
E428166-0
Institution
Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
Edo designations
English designations
Commemorative Head
Categories
Altar & Shrine Objects
Heads
Location
10th St. & Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20560, United States
Commemorative Head
Commemorative Head
Commemorative Head
Commemorative Head

Provenance

4 events
Production
unknown to March 18, 1959
The object was produced by Unknown member(s) of the Igbesamwan guild in Benin City.
Unknown
1955 to March 18, 1959
The object is known to have come into contact with Delacorte Gallery, later in New York City.
Purchase
March 18, 1959
The object was purchased by Joseph Herman Hirshhorn and D.C Washington Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden from Delacorte Gallery from New York City to Washington, D.C..
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
E428166-0
Object Name
designation
Memorial Head of Ancestor
Material
material
Wood
Measurement
dimensions
Length 70.8 cm; Width 25.5 cm; Height 21.5 cm (W/ Base)
Index Term
object type
Sculpture
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 1959
Culture
ethnic attribution
Edo
Accession date
accession date
8/28/92
Notes
notes
Provenience undocumented (Benin City, Nigeria. Object was outside Nigeria by late 19th to early 20th c; Delacorte Gallery of NY - to 3/18/59; Joseph Hirshhorn purchase 3/18/59 - 5/17/66). Vetted by William Fagg & Philip Dark for HMSG. Exhibited in HMSG's "Benin Art," Dec 1978 - (?) 1980. Description: carved in the round, dark-brown wooden head is attached to black square wooden base. Head has stylized features carved in high relief. Bulging, almond-shaped eyes have inlaid pupils of a darker wood. Has wide nose, full lips, small ears, & ridged neck. Forehead has 4 inlaid rectangular plugs of a darker wood. Over each temple is a deeply incised tab (hair or part of cap ?) Wears close-fitting, conical cap with ridged band at bottom with protruding design on each side. Left side has upright feather(?) Behind each is a braid(?) with the end meeting the base to form a thick loop (as handle ?) Cap, braids, feather are covered with deeply incised linear pattern. Condition: heavy losses in the back from infestation. Ridged neck also has losses. SI SI Archives acc. 86-136, box 1
Digital negative #
images
NMNH-2022-00210; NMNH-2022-00211; NMNH-2022-00212; NMNH-2022-00213; NMNH-2022-00214; NMNH-2022-00215; NMNH-2022-00216; NMNH-2022-00217
Online record
weblink
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/335600972-1a2c-4a37-96bb-4f00893bc153
Photos Online?
Sensitive Content

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