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Máscara de la reina madre

16th century
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 342
Epítome del arte africano, este colgante representa a Idia, la iyoba (reina madre) y consejera del oba (rey) Esigie, uno de los grandes reyes de Benín en el siglo XVI. El monarca, que utilizaba el colgante como pectoral en ocasiones ceremoniales, conmemoró a su madre en una serie de retratos de gran refinamiento. Las pronunciadas facciones de la reina están enmarcadas por la elegante decoración calada de su collar y diadema, compuesta por dos tipos de motivos en miniatura que son atributos de poder: los mercaderes portugueses que trajeron gran prosperidad al reino; y los peces de aguas pantanosas, o peces protópteros, cuya vida en dos elementos distintos, el agua y el lodo, es una metáfora de la identidad semidivina de los reyes de Benín.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Título: Máscara de la reina madre
  • Periodo: Reino de Benin
  • Fecha: Siglo XVI
  • Geografía: Nigeria
  • Cultura: Etnia edo
  • Material: Marfil, hierro, cobre (?)
  • Dimensiones: 23,8 x 12,7 x 8,3 cm
  • Crédito: Colección Conmemorativa de Michael C. Rockefeller, donación de Nelson A. Rockefeller, 1972
  • Número de inventario: 1978.412.323
  • Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing

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Ìgbèsànmwà (ivory- and wood- carving guild) artists - Pendant mask of Ìyọ́bà Idià - Edo - The Metropolitan Museum of Art