Figure: Oba with Sacrificial Animals from the Ezomo's Altar of the Hand
Unknown Artist
18th–19th century
Medium
Brass
Dimensions
H. 4 7/8 x W. 3 5/8 x D. 3 3/4 in. (12.4 x 9.2 x 9.5 cm)
Classification
Metal-Sculpture
Culture
Edo peoples
Department
Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Klaus G. Perls, 1991
Accession Number
1991.17.113
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite brass figure, titled *Figure: Oba with Sacrificial Animals from the Ezomo's Altar of the Hand*, hails from the Edo peoples of the Benin Kingdom in present-day Nigeria, crafted between the 18th and 19th centuries. Standing just under 5 inches tall, it depicts the Oba, the divine king, accompanied by sacrificial animals—likely rams or goats—symbolizing offerings central to royal and ancestral rituals. As part of the Ezomo's Altar of the Hand, a commemorative ensemble dedicated to the Ezomo (a high-ranking military titleholder), it celebrates triumphs "by the hand," underscoring Be...