Leopard Aquamanile

Edo artist

Not on view

This aquamanile depicts a leopard crouching, a posture that signifies his readiness to pounce. This example is unusual in that its head is detachable, allowing the vessel to be filled with water through the opening in the neck, which is decorated with a collar of coral beads. The liquid flows through an open space between the leopard's front teeth.
The leopard is the most common form of zoomorphic aquamanile made in Benin. Coined "king of the bush," it is one of the principal symbols of the Oba in Benin art, expressing his ferocious, aggressive nature. It is particularly associated the Oba Ewuare the Great, the legendary source of brass vessels in Benin.

Leopard Aquamanile, Edo artist, Brass, Edo

This image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

Open Access

As part of the Met's Open Access policy, you can freely copy, modify and distribute this image, even for commercial purposes.

API

Public domain data for this object can also be accessed using the Met's Open Access API.