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Provenance

Obas of the Edo people, Kingdom of Benin, before 1897; [1] taken by an unknown member of the British Punitive Expedition to the Kingdom of Benin, 1897. [2] Acquired by Alexander A. Cowan [1867-1955], England/Nigeria, in or after 1897; [3] (sale, Sotheby’s, London, 5-6 July 1954, no. 82). (J.J. Klejman Gallery, New York); purchased around 30 November 1955 by Winston Guest, New York; gift 1955 to NGA.

[1] The sculpture cannot be precisely dated but is thought to have been made during the eighteenth century. It would have belonged to the ruling Oba, and then passed by descent to succeeding Obas.

[2] According to the Sotheby’s, London, sales catalog of 5-6 July 1954, the object was “acquired by the present owner following on the Benin punitive expedition of 1897.”

[3] Cowan was a merchant from Liverpool who spent his career working for trading firms based in Nigeria. Although not known to have been a member of the British Punitive Expedition of 1897, he was possibly in Nigeria in 1897 (or shortly after) and may have come into possession of the object around that time through a member of the Expedition.

Exhibition History
1955
Exhibition of African Art, Allen Memorial Art Museum, Oberlin College, Ohio, 1956, In Allen Memorial Art Museum Bulletin 13 (Winter 1955-1956), no. 30.
1970
The Language of African Art. A Guest Exhibition of the Museum of African Art at the Smithsonian Institution Fine Arts and Portrait Gallery Building, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., 1970, no. 287.
1972
African Art in Washington Collections, Museum of African Art, Washington, D.C., 1972-1973, no. 191.
1991
Loan for display with permanent collection, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., 1991-1992.
2002
Loan for display with permanent collection, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., 2002-2004.
2004
Treasures, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., 2004-2005, no cat.
2005
Loan for display with permanent collection, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., 2005-2006.
Bibliography
1955
Exhibition of African art. Exh. cat. Allen Memorial Art Museum, Oberlin College, Ohio, 1956. In Allen Memorial Art Museum Bulletin 13 (Winter 1955-1956): no. 30.
1965
Summary Catalogue of European Paintings and Sculpture. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1965: 146, as Benin Style, Bronze Cock.
1966
Robbins, Warren M. African Art in American Collections. New York, 1966: 147, pl. 177.
1968
National Gallery of Art. European Paintings and Sculpture, Illustrations. Washington, 1968: 130, repro.
1968
National Gallery of Art. European Paintings and Sculpture, Illustrations. Washington, 1968: 130, repro., as Benin Style, Bronze Cock.
1972
Keisch, Bernard. Secrets of the Past; Nuclear Energy Applications in Art and Archaeology. U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, Office of Information Services. Oak Ridge, Tennessee, 1972: 46, repro.
1994
Sculpture: An Illustrated Catalogue. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1994: 157, repro.
2022
McGlone, Peggy. "A Push to Repatriate Nigeria's Looted Art." Washington Post 145, no. 53,121 (May 15, 2022): E1, E10, color repro.
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