White Gold: Bringing Worlds Together
What was once attached to a wild animal is expertly carved to create an intricate item; these artworks created from ivory transformed the relationships between Africa and Europe.
Originating from the 16th century, the Queen Mother pendent mask is a Benin artifact that commemorates Oba (king) Esigie’s mother. The object is a life sized depiction of his mother; displaying her smooth soft features in a clear way; details such as the scarification of her forehead are also included. Judging from the craftsmanship and high level of precision and accuracy, the artisan who created this item must have had a high skill set; something that is expected when creating an item that would be donned by the Oba during important ceremonies. The face is framed with intricate designs, giving the piece a traditional African look while adding symbolism to the piece.
The ivory pendant has two important symbolic elements that are usually overlooked. Firstly, the edge of the mask is adorned with faces of Portuguese men. The Portuguese were seen as representatives of the spirits and were believed to have brought power and wealth to the Oba. This in itself is interesting as the Portuguese travelled to the kingdom to acquire goods made of ivory. The other feature is the mudfish placed between these faces; these animals were compared to the Oba as they can live on land and in water, alluding to his human and divine nature.
The fact that this piece depicting a woman was intend for someone in a higher power to wear was a pleasant change as most works of this time period, as I later found out to be true about the Benin traditions, did not hold women to a high regard. The idea that a man of the Oba’s power would have his mother’s image proudly displayed during ceremonies stuck with me throughout both of my trips to the museum and I ultimately found myself returning to the piece.
Items crafted from Ivory, also referred to as ‘white gold’ by Europeans, were not limited to royalty. According to Emma George Ross of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, ivory transformed the trading relationship between Africa and Europe, namely Portugal. Explorers and traders hailing from Portugal were so impressed by the talent the West African carvers displayed that they began commissioning items to bring back to their clienteles. The lidded saltcellar on display is one of these commissioned objects. The item, dating back to the 15th or 16th century, was created by Sapi artisans in Sierra Leone. The item consists of repetitive patterns and intricate designs. The design works well as the object comprises of intertwined curved forms, connected to the rounded base. What struck me about the object was its elegant design; I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was used to store salt as modern day salt shakers look mundane and just fade into the layout of the dining table. This attention to detail and delicate designs is why the Europeans were so keen to trade with the Africans.
Like the Queen Mother Mask, the saltcellar was seen as a symbol for high status and wealth as it suggested that the owner could afford to import rare custom-made goods. As it was used to contain salt the item was always on display to dinner guests, reminding them of their host’s wealth. Furthermore these items give us an idea on the cultures involved. The Queen Mother mask contains obvious allusions to the local’s spiritual thoughts and also suggests that mothers were respected and held in a high regard as the king donned this pendant during import events.
The saltcellar feature four snakes, which were believed to represent mystical wealth, confronting four dogs. The Sapi believed that dogs could see spirits and ghost that humans could not; this item could definitely be representative of this ability but the MET offers an interesting insight. The scene is compared to the subjects of European woodcuts; it is believed that these woodcuts were provided to the African artists by the European traders. This shows that the cultures were influenced by each other’s ideas and that international commerce in the 16th century allowed beliefs and concepts to be shared. This is most evident in the saltcellar that featured traditional African static figures adjacent to dynamic animals that were common a feature in European work.
Queen Mother Pendant Mask: Iyoba
Date: 16th centuryDate: 16th century
Geography: Nigeria, Court of Benin
Culture: Edo peoples
Medium: Ivory, iron, copper (?)
Dimensions: H. 9 3/8 x W. 5 x D. 3 1/4 in. (23.8 x 12.7 x 8.3 cm)
Classification: Bone/Ivory-Sculpture
Credit Line: The Michael C. Rockefeller Memorial Collection, Gift of Nelson A. Rockefeller, 1972
Accession Number: 1978.412.323
This ivory pendant mask is one of a pair of nearly identical works; its counterpart is in the British Museum in London. Although images of women are rare in Benin’s courtly tradition, these two works have come to symbolize the legacy of a dynasty that continues to the present day. The pendant mask is believed to have been produced in the early sixteenth century for the King or “Oba” Esigie, the king of Benin, to honor his mother, Idia. The Oba may have worn it at rites commemorating his mother, although today such pendants are worn at annual ceremonies of spiritual renewal and purification.
Lidded Saltcellar
Date: 15th–16th century
Geography: Sierra Leone
Culture: Sapi-Portuguese
Medium: Ivory
Dimensions: H. 11 3/4 x Diam. 4 1/4 in. (29.8 x 10.8 cm)
Classification: Bone/Ivory-Containers
Credit Line: Gift of Paul and Ruth W. Tishman, 1991
Accession Number: 1991.435a, b
This saltcellar is both an extraordinary example of skilled workmanship and an artifact that epitomizes a singularly important convergence of cultures. In the second half of the fifteenth century, Portuguese explorers and traders were impressed by the considerable talent of ivory carvers along the coast of West Africa. As a result, they were inspired to commission works of this kind for their patrons, which ingeniously combine both European and African aesthetics and forms. During this period, salt and pepper were costly commodities and elaborate receptacles were appropriate for their storage in princely homes
