Rooster Figure

Unknown

18th century · Brass · Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas

Brass roosters are placed on ancestral altars commemorating the queen mothers of Benin. They stand for fowl and other animals that are sacrificed during rituals honoring royal ancestors. These explicitly male creatures acknowledge that the queen mother is different from other women and shares many powers and privileges with men. In depicting these birds, Benin brass casters indulge their love of dense overall patterns. Although stylized, these incised designs deftly suggest the rooster's showy plumage, scaly legs, and dimpled comb.

Artist

Unknown

Date

18th century

Medium

Brass

Culture

Edo peoples

Department

Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas

Credit line

Bequest of Mary Stillman Harkness, 1950