Figure
- Gallery: Room 25
- Made in: Benin City
- Date: 16thC(mid)-17thC(mid) (circa)
- Object type: figure
- Materials: brass
- Museum number: Af1944,04.13
- Museum: The British Museum
- Collection record: British Museum website
- Image © The Trustees of the British Museum, shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 licence.
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About this object
This is an equestrian figure crafted in Benin City by Edo artisans between the 1500s and 1600s. The figure shows a male rider seated tall on a horse, wearing a feathered headdress with an upright finial. His outfit includes armoured skin, a decorative short-sleeved garment, a beaded collar, and leather armbands. In one hand, he holds a bridle and in the other, a spear. Beside him rests a shield made of plaited cane. His mounted horse stands on a rectangular, sculpted base with interlace patterns.
The figure is made in brass using the lost-wax casting method, a highly refined Edo craft. The rider's feathered headdress echoes symbols of power and priesthood in Edo culture. The beaded forehead band and intricate detailing of his armor reflect the sophistication of Benin court artistry.
Created in a period of political and cultural exchange, this artifact reflects a blend of local tradition and external influence—perhaps from Portuguese or North African sources. Such horsemen are believed to commemorate significant events, possibly battles or political victories, and were used for ceremonial and symbolic purposes.
See it in person
Figure is on display in Room 25 at the British Museum on Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, London — free to enter. Choose British Museum on audioguide.london and take a photo of it to hear this free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
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