Iyare! Lost Wax Brasses of the Benin Kingdom

An exhibit of artifacts from the Kingdom of Benin opened at Penn Museum Saturday, November 8, 2008.

The exhibit shows nearly 100 cast bronzes, carved ivories and wooden objects dated between the 16th and 21st centuries AD. Photographs, text, video and modern art inspired by Benin culture are included, using materials loaned from the Smithsonian Institution, the Brooklyn Museum, and the Baltimore Museum of Art. Penn Museum was kind enough to send along some wonderful images of some of the lost wax brasses of the Benin Kingdom for us to get a close look at.

Benin Kingdom and the Lost Wax Method

The Benin Kingdom was a west African kingdom centered in the modern day city of Benin, Nigeria, beginning about the 8th century AD. The art illustrated in my photo essay is what is typically called "lost-wax bronzes": they're actually a form of brass (if you want to get picky), and the earliest Benin kingdom examples date to the 15th century. In the lost wax method the artist creates a wax model. The model is covered in clay, the clay is fired and the wax melts away. The opening in the clay is then filled with molten metal and allowed to cool. The earliest lost wax bronzes in Africa are from Igbo Ukwu, probably about the 10th century AD.

Iyare! Exhibit

Broken into five sections, the Iyare! exhibit focuses on palace life in the Benin Kingdom. "Players, Props and Costumes" features ceremonial bracelets, pendants, armlets and weapons. "Scripts" presents video clips of key ceremonies and festivals. "Intermission" shows crafts and guild artistry in brass; "Playing the Provinces" compares Benin cultural materials to neighboring Edo, Owo, Ijebu Yoruba and Itsekiri cultures. Finally "Revivals" looks at modern art affected by the Benin culture.

Iyare means "May you go and return safely!", and if you are anywhere near Philadelphia between now and March 1, 2009, you ought to drop in and see the exhibit. In the meantime, take a look at a handful of the artifacts you can see there in About.com's photo essay, Benin Kingdom Lost Wax Brasses.

Penn Museum

Exhibit Information

• Exhibit Homepage: Iyare! Splendor and Tension in Benin's Palace Theatre
• Location: University for Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology
• Address: 3260 South Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104
• Dates: November 8, 2008-March 1, 2009
• Benin Kingdom Lost Wax Brasses