The Benin Plaques, a 16th Century Imperial Monument

2017 | Art, Photography & Fashion

The 16th century bronze plaques from the kingdom of Benin are among the most recognized masterpieces of African art, and yet many details of their commission and installation in the palace in Benin City, Nigeria, are little understood. The Benin Plaques, A 16th Century Imperial Monument is a detailed analysis of a corpus of nearly 850 bronze plaques that were installed in the court of the Benin kingdom at the moment of its greatest political power and geographic reach. By examining European accounts, Benin oral histories, and the physical evidence of the extant plaques, Gunsch is the first to propose an installation pattern for the series. Her work also uncovers new evidence about the authorship, patronage, and dating of the plaques. Although the plaques are now dispersed among 55 institutions worldwide, this book tells their story as a single art installation, including the rationale for the patronage of such a monumental undertaking and an evidence-based reconstruction of the palace audience court. An updated list of the current location for all the known plaques is included in the annex.

Kathryn Wysocki Gunsch (Author)