The Great States - Art Explora Academy

1

Portuguese in Africa

Portuguese were the first Europeans to explore Africa.

At the beginning of the 15th century, encouraged by Prince Henry the Navigator, the first boats left the country for Africa, and they made very quick progress!

1450: the Portuguese arrive in Senegal

Afterwards it was Ghana’s, then Benin’s, then Nigeria’s turn.

By 1487, they had reached the Cape of Good Hope!

Statuette representing a Portuguese man,

16th to 19th century, Edo culture, Nigeria, copper alloy, 17 x 8 inches, British Museum, London. Photo: © The Trustees of the British Museum

Why this sudden need to explore Africa?

Henry the Navigator was driven by two ambitions:

To bring back spices, highly prized in Europe at the time.
To bring back ivory and gold

In a nutshell

The Portuguese were the first Europeans to explore Africa, with the aim of bringing back spices, ivory and gold.

2

Afro-Portuguese ivory articles

The arrival of the Portuguese had an unexpected consequence: the birth of curious, half-European, half-African objects …

The shape and the subject were Portuguese, whereas the technique and style came from Africa. These objects became referred to as Afro-Portuguese ivory. Today, the fact that they are rare makes these objects even more exceptional!

Sapi-portuguese Salt Pot

16th century, Kingdom of Benin, elephant’s tusk, 18 x 0.31 x 0.31 inches, Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac Museum, Paris Photo: © musée du quai Branly – Jacques Chirac, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais / Michel Urtado / Thierry Ollivier

In a nutshell

The Portuguese ordered table decorations in ivory from artists in Benin.

3

“Iyoba” Idia, the Queen

This is another example of an object in ivory: the famous ivory pendant masks, portraying Queen Idia.

This queen was an extremely important monarch of the Kingdom of Benin during the 16th century. She was a warrior queen, fighting for her son and to protect his kingdom.

He awarded her the title of “lyoba” (Queen Mother) to thank her and had valuable works sculptured as a tribute to her!

Pendant mask representing Lyoba Idia, the Queen Mother,

16th century, Edo culture, Benin, ivory, 9 x 5 x 3.25 inches, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Photo: CC0 1.0

Pendant Mask,

16th century, Edo culture, Benin, ivory, 7 inches (height), Linden Museum, Stuttgart. Photo: Linden-Museum, CC BY-SA 3.0

In a nutshell

“lyoba” Idia, Queen of the Kingdom of Benin during the 16th century, is portrayed in pendant masks, in memory of her warrior exploits.

4

Kongo crosses

Afro-Portuguese ivory articles are not the only half-European, half-African objects. Let’s head to the Kingdom of Kongo …

This kingdom is one of the very first in Africa to have been Christianized, which started at the end of the 15th century. This Christian influence gave birth to “Kongo Crosses”, on which Jesus is recognizable on the cross, as is the case in European art, but the material (brass) is of local origin, along with some additions…

In this case, as for the frightening nail studded Minkisi, magical power has been added to the cross … a way of finding roots in the kingdom’s traditions and strengthening their effectiveness.

Crucifix with magic charge,

20th century, Kingdom of Kongo, wood, sacrificial material, 0.21 x 7 x 5 inches, Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac Museum, Paris. Photo: © musée du quai Branly – Jacques Chirac, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais / Patrick Gries

In a nutshell

In the Christianized Kongo kingdom, crosses were adjusted to suit local traditions, especially through the belief that they had magical powers.

4

The French conquest of Dahomey

Credited to Sossa Dede, Statue of King Glele, King of Dahomey,

19th century, wood, pigments, leather, 70 x 30.31 x 43.30 inches, Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac Museum, Paris Photo: Ji-Elle CC BY-SA 4.0

Do you remember the King of Dahomey’s “Amazons”? This king, Behanzin, fiercely resisted the European colonizers.

For the French colonial regime, Dahomey was a “barrier” to be breached in order to reach the African interior.

In 1892, a diplomatic argument was the ideal pretext for marching against the kingdom … In spite of the courage shown by the “Amazons”, Dahomey was no match for the French artillery.

In a nutshell

The kingdom of Dahomey was conquered by France after 1892, in spite of the brave fight put up by the Amazons.

6

King Behanzin

King Behanzin was not easygoing, and he had himself portrayed in the form of a man with a shark’s head. Watch out, anyone who threatened his State!

Just before the French arrived in the capital, he set his palace on fire, but faced with the military supremacy of the French, he finally decided to surrender in 1894. The French, afraid that he would lead another revolt, exiled him to Martinique, where he lived until his death …

Credited to Sossa Dede, Royal Statue, half-human half-shark, of King Behanzin,

between 1890 and 1892, wood, pigments, metal, 66 x 40 x 36 inches, Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac Museum, Paris. Photo: Myrabella, CC BY-SA 3.0

In a nutshell

King Behanzin, portrayed in art with a shark’s head, had to surrender to the French in 1894.

In summary, you have discovered:

To go further

The Dahomey Amazons