Chapter 04 of 5
The Myth of Primitive Art
How stolen artifacts were used to justify colonial narratives.
- The Diaspora
War Booty for Sale
After the 1897 looting, the British Foreign Office auctioned the Benin Bronzes to cover the costs of the 'expedition.' Pieces scattered into private hands and national museums across Europe.
- European Shock
A Challenge to Logic
When the bronzes arrived in London, experts were stunned. The level of casting sophistication rivaled the finest works of the Italian Renaissance.
- The Denial
Refusing the Source
Colonial scholars could not reconcile such high art with their 'primitive' views of Africa. They began searching for non-African explanations.
17 more cards in this chapter
Could you answer this?
Why did early European scholars suggest the Bronzes were created by Greeks or Portuguese sailors?
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๐ The Kingdom of Benin: The Stolen Bronzes
- 01The Oba and the EdoDiscover the divine origins and golden age of the Benin Kingdom.
- 02Mastery in MetalStep into the guild of royal casters and their lost-wax secrets.
- 03The Punitive ExpeditionThe 1897 British invasion that burned a capital to the ground.
- 04The Myth of Primitive ArtHow stolen artifacts were used to justify colonial narratives.
- 05The Long Walk HomeThe modern movement to return the Bronzes to their rightful soil.