Brief History of Benin Bronze Casting
The Great Kingdom of Benin was once one of the most powerful kingdoms in West Africa. Along with its military might, the kingdom also became famous for its marvellous metalwork, especially its art of bronze casting.
The art form was used to keep historical records of events in the Benin Kingdom. These records included the reigns of the monarchs (Obas). Their achievements, their victories on the battlefields. In fact, an expert in the field can inspect a bronze piece and decipher the Oba, their reign and thus the year of creation.
Bronze works were previously reserved for the Oba and the Oba alone. Special permission had to be obtained for a bronze piece to be commissioned for the noble in society.
Benin bronze casting or making flourished in the kingdom until the British Empire launched a punitive expedition against the kingdom in 1897, resulting in a temporary stop to production. During the conquest, the British Empire carted away centuries of bronze artefacts.
The monarchy was eventually restored with Oba Eweka II at the helm, but now Benin was no longer sovereign; it was under the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Oba Eweka II had the mammoth challenge of preserving the traditions and uniting the Benin people through a turbulent and uncertain era. He encouraged the guild of bronze casters to cast replicas and replacements of all the works that were taken by the British. This included the ones taken from the royal shrines. Oba Eweka II also formally moved the royal bronze guild to Igun, where they still reside to this day.