NIGERIAN BENIN OSUN BRONZE HEAD. Possibly 18th / 19th century. Patinated Benin bronze (or brass) head associated with the worship of Osun. This head was used in the worship of Osun, a deity in Benin whose power is associated with forest plants. Magical specialists and priests utilized elements related to Osun for healing, protection, and even destruction. The head is richly embellished with symbolic imagery, including snakes emerging from the eyes, nose, and ears, gripping frogs in their jaws; four birds on the head are associated with the night and wilderness and are believed to possess protective and prophetic powers. The creation of these heads intensified during the 18th century when the Obas of Benin were seeking to re-emphasize their legitimacy and magical-mystical powers following a period of internal political instability.
Provenance: Acquired in the early 2000 from American art dealer and collector Allan Stone (1932–2006). - height: 14 inches. Estimate $1,000-1,500
