This object is a 20th century reproduction of a Benin bronze head of a large segmented snake; a pair of these huge serpents would probably have framed a door or gateway.
Benin bronzes refer to a group of more than a thousand objects that were created for the royal palace of the Kingdom of Benin from the 13th century onwards by the Edo people of what is now Nigeria. In 1897, almost all of the pieces were looted by the British during a punitive expedition to the area and are now located in major museums or private collections.
Many African artisans have turned to reproducing these pieces for sale on the art market. These objects are artificially aged to make them appear to have been old and used (in much the same way that our fashion industry adds wear and tear to new jeans and hoodies).
13″ long x 9″ wide x 3″ high
$600
