[MSN] The British and the Benin Bronzes

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The British and the Benin Bronzes        
Written by Darshana Soni     
Sunday, 06 May 2007  

Images:
http://www.afrikanet.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=626&Item
id=2


The Kingdom of Benin had a long history of peaceful relations with European
nations. Many early Portuguese, Dutch and British Visitors had expressed
admiration for this great African Civilization. However, just under 100
years ago in 1897, the British, fueled by a desire to control trade in the
area, launched a "Punitive Expedition" to attack Benin City. They deposed of
the Oba (King) of Benin, burnt down his palace and looted the collection of
unique art works in Bronze and ivory that adorned the palace.


The premier collection of the priceless Benin art treasures is today held at
the Museum of Mankind in London.

The Events of 1897

Justification for the violent overthrow of this independent kingdom was to
avenge the deaths of seven Britons who had been ambushed who had been
ambushed on a path to Benin a few weeks earlier. They were represented as
peaceful ambassadors sent to discuss the operation of a trade treaty with
the Oba, who were then murdered in cold blood - however, the evidence tells
a different story.

Before they set out, James Philips, the colonial officer who headed the
mission, sent a report to his superiors in Whitehall complaining about the
unprofitability of trade in the area. He recommended;

    "...I am certain that there is only one remedy, that is to depose of the
king of Benin...I am concerned that pacific measures are now quite useless,
and that the time has now come to remove the obstruction ... I would add
that I have reason to hope that sufficient ivory may be found in the King's
house to pay the expenses incurred."

Philips sent a message to the Oba informing him of his intention to visit
Benin and received a reply asking him to delay. his visit for a while due to
the customary rites that were being performed at the time, during which
foreigners were not permitted to enter the city. Philips ignored several
such messages.

It is not surprising that the generals whose task it was to defend Benin saw
this expedition, that had refused to heed repeated request to turn back and
wait for an official invitation, as a threat. In the recent past the British
had used force several times to depose other African leaders whom they had
found too powerful to dominate. They responded to this threat by ambushing
the party, leaving seven of the nine Britons dead. The British government
and press responded with self righteous outrage.

The Benis saw the 1987 event as an evil intrusion to their sovereignty end
the annexation of their region by a foreign power as unjustified. The then
King, Oba Ovonramwen, was subsequently deposed and sent into exile. Benin
City, whose civilization dates further back than the 13th

Century, was almost completely destroyed. Sacred treasures discovered by the
colonial army were stripped from their rightful owners and looted mainly to
Britain, and later to other countries in the West.
The Benin Bronzes Today

When the looted art treasures were brought back to England many of the
military officers kept private collections of them, whilst the foreign
office sold considerable quantities, much of which found it's way to museums
of Europe and America. The remarkable quality of the work was rapidly
reflected in high auction room prices. The Foreign Office gave the British
museum a huge quantity of Bronze wall plaques which depict the history of
the Benin Empire in the 1 5th and 1 6th century. Many are displayed in the
ethnographic section of the museum. The premier collection of these
priceless Benin art treasures are today held at the Museum of Mankind (
there are also many, many more, held in private collections which we do not
know about. )

These Museums also retained selling rights of duplicates to the originals,
which of course means that enormous profits have been made. In 1984,
Sothebys auctioned a Benin plaque featuring a musician in the catalogue
accompanying the auction, the asking price was set at between £25,000 -
£35,000. Many famous European artists, such as Picasso, have emulated the
fine and abstract dimensional images found in Benin art - however, not a
penny from this profit has ever gone back to Benin, from where the art was
stolen. African scholars must by necessity travel to London to see these
works displayed without adequate commentary or proper context. The British
Museum and London continues to gain income from visitors from Africa and
elsewhere - this should of course be transferred to Africa. Africa is the
appropriate place to study and understand African Art and Artefacts and it
would also generate much needed income from tourism and scholarship if these
items were returned.

The Nigerian government has made several unsuccessful requests for the
restitution of these artefacts, since 1960 when they gained independence. On
several occasions, they paid exorbitant prices amounting to thousands of
pounds to retain possession of some of these artefacts. Great offence was
caused when the British Museum and the British Government refused even the
loan of a single ivory mask for a vast pan-African Arts festival in 1977.

The looting of artworks in the course of military conflict has been outlawed
since the Napoleonic wars and the restitution of looted works within Europe
enforced. Increasingly, the morality and legality of holding art collections
seized by force is being questioned. In the true sense of justice and
self-determination, the Benin artefacts belong to the culture from where
they were deprived from - they symbolise a historical and social
significance which the aesthetic and monetary value they hold in exile would
never compensate.  

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