Benin Style Bronze Sculpture of a Man

A handsome male holding an axe in his right hand stands upon a raised base, which is decorated with open circles around the center. He wears only a broad skirt ornamented with different shapes in relief. A rather intricate network of necklaces crisscross over his chest, including a hanging flask attached to a thick “rope.” His right hand is raised, his torso twisted left in the direction he is staring, and his knees are bent as if he is about to move forwards. Crease lines on his forehead and his balding head suggest that he is a man of middle age, possibly a respected village elder. His ornaments and his dignified demeanor indicate he is someone of importance whose image was cast in bronze in the great tradition of Benin royal art. – (PF.5414)