Antique Works of Art from Benin : Collected by Lieutenant-General Pitt Rivers

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Pitt-Rivers, Augustus Henry Lane-Fox, 1827-1900

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource : multiple file formats

Place of Publication:

Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg,

Summary:

"Antique Works of Art from Benin" by Augustus Henry Lane-Fox Pitt-Rivers is a historical account written in the early 20th century. The publication focuses on the intricate art and artifacts recovered from Benin City following the punitive expedition of 1897 conducted by British forces. The book provides insights into the cultural significance of these works and their historical context, alluding to the influence of European contact on Benin's sophisticated art forms. The opening portion of this work introduces the early interactions between European nations, particularly the Portuguese, and the Kingdom of Benin, detailing its vibrant civilization before British colonial intervention. It recounts the disastrous expedition of 1896, which ended in tragedy, and the subsequent military campaign that led to the looting of exquisite artworks, primarily in brass, bronze, and ivory. Through a brief examination of artifacts, including plaques depicting warriors and various ceremonial objects, the introduction reveals their ceremonial use and connection to local beliefs, providing a foundation for understanding the advanced artistry of Benin culture and its implications in a colonial narrative. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Credits:

E-text prepared by Henry Flower and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) from page images generously made available by Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries (http://archive.org/details/toronto)

Notes:

Reading ease score: 76.7 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read.

Release date is 2013-10-22