Artwork
I. Ancestral Heads
I. Ancestral Heads is a print by Tony Phillips. It dates from 1984 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. I.
About this work
Tony Phillips made this print in 1984 as the first plate in a twelve-work series called History of the Benin Bronzes.
Tony Phillips made this print in 1984 as the first plate in a twelve-work series called History of the Benin Bronzes. It shows the brass commemorative heads taken from Benin’s royal court in 1897.
Phillips used the etchings to look back at how British papers used fake ‘savage’ stories to justify a violent raid. The brass heads themselves prove the Oba’s sophisticated society.
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Overview
I. Ancestral Heads is a 1984 etching by Tony Phillips, the first in his twelve-part series History of the Benin Bronzes.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts brass commemorative heads of Benin's royal ancestors, including the Oba and Queen Mother, surmounted by ivory tusks with carved figures symbolizing royal power.
Context
The work reflects on the 1897 British raid on Benin City, which was justified by portraying the Oba's people as 'savages', despite the sophisticated art seized from the royal court.
Technique & Style
Phillips's etching engages with the historical narrative surrounding the Benin Bronzes, a collection of brass plaques and sculptures looted during the raid.
Artist & collection
Artist
Tony Phillips made a series of twelve prints in 1984 that blend symbols and everyday scenes.
