Three American museums return Benin bronzes to Nigeria

Nigerian 18th century, Court of Benin, ‘Fowl,’ mid 18th century, brass with cast iron supports, overall with base: 52.3 by 18 by 46.9cm, 30.391 kg (20 9/16 by 7 1/16 by 18 7/16in., 67 lb.). Image courtesy of the National Gallery of Art
Nigerian 18th century, Court of Benin, ‘Fowl,’ mid 18th century, brass with cast iron supports, overall with base: 52.3 by 18 by 46.9cm, 30.391 kg (20 9/16 by 7 1/16 by 18 7/16in., 67 lb.). Image courtesy of the National Gallery of Art
Nigerian 18th century, Court of Benin, ‘Fowl,’ mid 18th century, brass with cast iron supports, overall with base: 52.3 by 18 by 46.9cm, 30.391 kg (20 9/16 by 7 1/16 by 18 7/16in., 67 lb.). Image courtesy of the National Gallery of Art

WASHINGTON — On the morning of Tuesday, October 11, the National Gallery of Art, the Smithsonian Institution and the Nigerian National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM) held a ceremony to mark the transfer of ownership of the National Gallery of Art’s sole Benin bronze to the Nigerian National Collections along with 29 sculptures from the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of African Art (NMAfA) and one sculpture from the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) Museum. These 31 objects from the National Gallery, NMAfA and RISD Museum are among the first Benin bronzes to be repatriated to Nigeria by American institutions on the basis of the 1897 British colonial raid of the Royal Palace of Benin.

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