About this artwork
Benin royal altars have been embellished with matched pairs of carved elephant tusks since the 18th century, when ivory—a commodity traditionally controlled by the Benin king—dramatically increased in value. In the mid-19th century King Adolo (reigned about 1850–88) commissioned this tusk and 15 others for the altar of his father, Osemwende. It was anchored on a brass head like the one displayed nearby, and prominently features fish-legged oba (king) imagery in honor of the 15th-century ruler Ewuare.
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Status
- On View, Gallery 137
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Department
- Arts of Africa
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Culture
- Edo
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Title
- Tusk
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Place
- Nigeria (Object made in:)
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Date
- 1850–1888
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Medium
- Ivory
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Dimensions
- 150.5 × 195.6 × 12.7 cm (59 1/4 × 77 × 5 in.)
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Credit Line
- Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Edwin E. Hokin
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Reference Number
- 1976.523
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IIIF Manifest
- https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/51809/manifest.json
Extended information about this artwork
Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.