Leopard Aquamanile
16th–19th century
Medium
Brass
Dimensions
H. 6 3/4 x W. 2 5/8 x D. 8 5/8 in. (17.2 x 6.7 x 21.9 cm)
Classification
Metal-Containers
Culture
Edo
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
1991.17.53
Tags
Art Historical Context
This striking Leopard Aquamanile, crafted by an Edo artist between the 16th and 19th centuries, exemplifies the sophisticated metalworking traditions of the historic Kingdom of Benin in present-day Nigeria. Fashioned from brass using the lost-wax casting technique, the vessel takes the form of a sleek leopard poised in mid-stride, its body serving as a functional container for water. Such aquamaniles were used for ritual hand-washing or ceremonial pouring, blending utility with sculptural elegance in a compact form measuring just under seven inches high. In Edo culture, leopards held profound...