A Bronze head Ife
type: Product
description: A Bronze head Ife, Benin City region, Nigeria. This anthropomorphic head made of a copper alloy from Ifẹ̀ takes the form of a hollow vessel with a cylindrical base, dominated by an elongated face with carefully balanced proportions and a rounded skull, the upper part of which is open; the modeling combines a pursuit of naturalism with a strong graphic stylization, characteristic of many prestigious effigies associated with ancient Yoruba court traditions. The face, frontal and impassive, is defined by a long, straight nose; thick yet restrained lips; almond-shaped eyes with distinctly defined eyelids; and ears rendered with marked anatomical precision. The surface of the forehead, cheeks, and chin is covered with an extremely regular network of fine vertical and curvilinear striations that follow the contours of the face, while a series of circular perforations arranged around the nostrils, mouth, cheeks, facial outline, and the edge of the headdress appear to have been intended to hold or secure attached elements—ornaments, veils, strands, beads, or ceremonial devices—though their nature cannot be determined by observation alone. The neck, tall and cylindrical, is punctuated by several incised horizontal lines and features large lateral openings as well as a frontal perforation, indicating that the object was likely part of a more complex ensemble rather than having been conceived as a standalone sculpture. The distinction between the finely striated anterior portion and the more understated posterior section—separated by a line punctuated with holes—reinforces this hypothesis of an assembly or adornment system. The brown-black patina, punctuated by greenish traces of copper oxidation and reddish residues, along with the irregularity of the internal surfaces, reveal the materiality of the cast iron and the physical history of the object. From an anthropological perspective, such a head should therefore not be understood as a simple portrait in the Western sense, bu…
brand: Galerie Wolfgang Jaenicke
sku: MAZ21501
additional property: Title
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Default Title
offers: AggregateOffer
  price currency: EUR
  offer count: 1
  offers: Offer
    price currency: EUR
    availability: https://schema.org/InStock
    item condition: https://schema.org/NewCondition
    sku: MAZ21501

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