Staff for Oba's Representative
Unknown Artist
18th–19th century
Medium
Brass
Dimensions
H. 33 1/2 × W. 1 1/8 × D. 1 1/8 in. (85.1 × 2.8 × 2.8 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
1991.17.97
Art Historical Context
This elegant brass staff, crafted by an unknown Edo artist in the 18th–19th century, served as a symbol of authority for a representative of the Oba, the divine king of the Benin Kingdom present-day Nigeria. Among the Edo peoples, such ceremonial objects were essential in the hierarchical palace culture, where officials wielded staffs to signify their roles in governance, rituals, and diplomacy. Standing at over 33 inches tall with a slender profile (H. 33 1/2 × W. 1 1/8 × D. 1 1/8 in.), it the refined proportions typical of Benin metalwork, designed for both practical use and visual impact du...