In parallel with a similarly-themed exhibit at Berlin’s Museum of Ethnology in Dahlem, our exhibition of over 60 objects emphasizes and augments various important aspects of classical Benin culture. Texts accompanying the works challenge existing ethnologically-informed research and promote in its place a reorganisation causing quite a stir around the world. In opposition to the common belief that the oldest Benin bronzes date from circa 600 years ago, our exhibition features objects up to 950 years old. In addition, it includes several of the extraordinarily realistic bronzes known as Ife Heads, presented for the first time ever as belonging to Beninese culture. Up until now, the high quality of these Ife heads has fostered the presumption that the roots of the bronze-caster tradition can be traced to Ife. Our numerous older Benin bronzes, however, convincingly controvert this thesis, suggesting instead that the Ife and Benin styles developed concurrently.
The exhibition sets new benchmarks in the history of African art.

All objects of the two exhibitions 2007/2008

Opening, 8 February 2008 at 8 p.m.
Lecture, 20 February 2008 at 8 p.m. The Thermoluminescence Analysis. Ralf Kotalla gave an introduction to the Age Determination of Bronzes – Practical Examples, Problems, Solutions

Handelsblatt vom 10.8.2007 - Erinnerung, in Bronze gegossen. Zur Ausstellung im Wiener Völkerkundemuseum und zum Auktionsmarkt mit "explodierenden" Preisen.

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This Bronze was auctioned at Lempertz in Brüssel at 26.4.2008.

Benin. Highly important Commemorative Head of a King Brass, 50 cm
Estimate € 40.000 – 60.000,-
Auction 918 Tribal Art, Brussels

Auctioned price: € 560.000,-

Provenience: Military-expedition 1897 - W.D. Webster, Collection Geheimrat Prof. Dr. Hans Meyer, Leipzig. Collection Albert Wagenmann, Mannheim.

Quod vide: memorial heads with wings at our exhibition and and in a Column by Peter Herrmann

This Bronze was auctioned at Sotheby's in Paris June 11, 2008.

An exceptional Benin royal commemorative head of an Oba, Edo, Kingdom of Benin, Nigeria, 18th Century. Bronze, 31,5 cm. Auction PF8009 Important African and Oceanic Art, Paris.
Estimated price € 300.000 – 400.000,-

Auctioned price: € 540.000,-

Provenience: Collection of Governor Guyon, Adolf Hoffmeister, Christina and Rolf Miehler and Various Owners.

Have a look: Two comparable memorial-heads from our collection. Samml. Paul Garn, 120 Years | Nigeria, 400 Years .