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Julien Gauthier

This fragmentary Benin Bronze plate depicting a crocodile gripping a mudfish condenses a dense field of courtly symbolism into a compact, forceful image. Within the visual language of the Benin Kingdom, the crocodile is often read as an emblem of authority, liminality, and mastery over aquatic domains, while the mudfish, capable of surviving both in water and on land, has long been associated with adaptability and the king’s semi-divine capacity to traverse realms. The pairing thus articulates domination, but also interdependence, echoing the Oba’s control over natural and spiritual orders. Please note that without any laboratory tests, the attribution and datation is provided for reference only, based on our expertise in the field. Therefore, the piece stays subject to authentication. 

Comparison with related motifs documented in Digital Benin reveals both continuity and variation. More complete palace plaques tend to embed such creatures within elaborate courtly scenes, where hierarchical scale, regalia, and attendant figures reinforce royal centrality. In contrast, fragmentary finds or pieces recovered outside controlled palace contexts often isolate animal motifs, suggesting either compositional cropping, later breakage, or production for different spatial or ritual functions. Stylistically, palace-associated works frequently display higher relief, finer chasing, and more standardized iconography, consistent with guild regulation under royal patronage. Excavated or dispersed examples may show greater variability in casting thickness, surface finish, and motif interpretation, raising questions about workshop practice, chronology, and the circulation of imagery beyond the palace.

The crocodile-and-mudfish motif thus serves as a diagnostic lens through which issues of authorship, context, and meaning can be re-examined, complicating any rigid distinction between “court art” and “provincial” production while underscoring the fluidity of Benin’s visual system.

Selected literature
Paula Girshick Ben-Amos, The Art of Benin
Barbara Plankensteiner (ed.), Benin: Kings and Rituals
Dan Hicks, The Brutish Museums
Digital Benin Project Database
Kathy Curnow, “Benin Court Style and Iconography”

Bronze - Fair condition

A bronze sculpture - Plaque - Benin - Nigeria  (No reserve price)

African & Tribal Art

Reserve price

No reserve price

Closing date

tomorrow

Friday

Wednesday

1 November

Thursday

Tuesday

today

Monday

31 October

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Location

Belgium

France

Germany

Austria

The Netherlands

Spain

Italy

Luxembourg

Portugal

Slovak Republic

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Switzerland

United Kingdom

Poland

Hong Kong

Ireland

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Size

S (10–40 cm)

M (40–80 cm)

L (over 80 cm)

XS (under 10 cm)

Dimensions

Height

Width

Depth

Object

Tribal art and objects

Tribal sculptures statues carvings and figurines

Tribal masks

Figure

Textile

Sculpture

Dance mask

Fetish figure

Mask

Statue

Painting

Tribal weaponry and shields

Book

Cross

Vase

Decorative ornament

Ancestor figure

Stool

Necklace

Headrest

Spoon

Tribal furniture

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Country of origin

DR Congo

Congo

Mali

Côte d'Ivoire

Nigeria

Gabon

Ghana

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Burkina Faso

Cameroon

Togo

Benin

Tanzania

Africa

Angola

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Ethiopia

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Chad

South Africa

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Material

Wood

Bronze

Terracotta

Copper

Leather

Metal

Steel

Bone

Iron (wrought)

Brass

Iron

Glass

Shell

Aluminium

Textiles

Stone

8kt gold

Gold

Horn

Earthenware

Iron (cast/wrought)

Patinated bronze

Animal hair

Gilt brass

Gender

Unisex

Condition

Good condition

Fair condition

Good condition - used with small signs of aging & blemishes

Excellent condition

Good

Excellent condition: barely used with minimal signs of wear

Fair condition -  heavily used & with possibly minor parts missing

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Extras

No extra's

Dust jacket

Period

Mid 20th century

Late 20th century

1930-1940

Early 20th century

1940-1950

1920-1930

1950-1960

1990-2000

Late 19th century

1960-1970

1980-1990

2000-2010

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1850-1900

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2010-2020

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A bronze sculpture - Plaque - Benin - Nigeria (No reserve price)

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