STOPPED Auction of Stolen 16th Century Benin Mask in London
UPDATE:
The Nigeria Liberty Forum (NBL) announced on Boxing day (26 December) that the auction of the mask has been suspended at the request of the Galway family.
The Forum says the next step is to ensure the return of the mask to the people of Benin in southwest Nigeria. This is a great victory for the people of Benin. Following several years of lobbying for the return of the mask, the aborted auction is a first step in the process of restoring this important piece of Edo heritage to the Nigerian government. The Statement issued by the group was as follows:
The attention of the Nigeria Liberty Forum has been drawn to the cancellation of the Benin Idia Mask that was due to take place on 17 February 2011., which according to Sotheby’s press release was at the request of the consignor (Refer to the link below)
http://investor.shareholder.com/bid/releases.cfm?ReleasesType=&Year=2010
We view this action by the Galway family as a step right direction and we look forward to reaching an agreement with the family on how to ensure the mask and other Benin artefacts are returned to the rightful owners, that is, the Benin people of Edo State in Nigeria.
We can only imagine that this piece of good news is a result of the collective effort of Nigerians and Africans as a whole, home and abroad. We note in particular the efforts of facebook campaigns as well as numerous blogs and some mainstream media outlets as well as several legal practitioners in the UK
This is not to say victory has been achieved as the main objective is the return of the artefacts to the Oba of Benin and his subjects. We are also interested in the return of numerous artefacts of unknown whereabouts.
We shall communicate any new developments as they arise.
Wishing all a merry Christmas and a happy new year.
Kayode Ogundamisi
Convener – Nigeria liberty Forum
“On 17th February 2011, Sotheby’s will sell a rare, newly re-discovered, 16th-century ivory pendant mask depicting the head of the Queen mother from the Edo peoples, Kingdom of Benin in Nigeria along with five other rare works from Benin ‘collected’ at the same time.” – Art Daily
The mask depicts the image of Idia, the first queen’s mother. Queen Idia, mother of Oba Esigie (c. 1504 – 1550) was granted the title of Iyoba (Queen Mother) by Esigie in recognition of her help and counsel during his military campaigns. The worn and honey-coloured surface of the offered mask attests to years of rubbing with palm oil. Also being auctioned is a carved tusk made with a group of other similarly carved tusks for the Oba. The imagery presented depicts emblems of power and strength which are related to the life of the Oba himself. The collection also includes two richly carved ivory armlets which incorporate many of the panoplies of motifs used by the artists of the Igbesanmwan, the Royal Guild of ivory carvers.
In addition, the collection contains a rare bronze armlet, cast with Portuguese figures in an openwork motif. The earliest appearance of the Portuguese in plaques and free-standing figures and bracelets in the 16th and 17th centuries was undoubtedly calculated by the Benin to add considerable prestige to the Oba and his courts demonstrating that his power extended beyond the confines of his own people.
The collection includes a very rare bronze sculpture of a type historically identified as tusk stands. The twisted and hollowed form of this stand suggests it served the same function as the more familiar bronze commemorative heads, as a stand for a carved ivory tusk on an altar created to honour a former ruler.
Carved in ivory, the Idia Mask is among several other works of art stolen by the British during their invasion and looting of the Benin Kingdom in 1897. Watch the Open University video that documents the invasion on our YouTube page. This sale violates the UNESCO Convention that prohibits the transfer of ownership of cultural items older than 50 years old and not in the custody of their creators.
Like the Facebook page and SIGN THE PETITION to stop the sale!
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