Bronze plaque with relief figures

Title: Bronze plaque with relief figures
Provenance: Edo area, Nigeria (Benin culture)
Date: 20th century
Dimensions: h. 29 x 40 x 10 cm
Iconography and symbolism: Central figure: depicts a dignitary or the Oba (king) in a dominant position, symbolizing royal power and its intermediation with the spiritual world. Minor figures: assistants and dignitaries, depicted on a smaller scale to express hierarchy and subordination.
Function: The original Edo plaques were fixed to the walls of the royal palace in Benin City and served to celebrate the greatness and genealogy of the Oba, pass down the memory of historical and ceremonial events, and reaffirm the sacred and political role of the sovereign.