90 - ROYAL ROOSTER, OKPA - Southern Nigeria - Former Kingdom of Benin

ROYAL ROOSTER, OKPA - Southern Nigeria - Former Kingdom of Benin First half of the 20th century. Metal alloy (copper, brass). Dimensions: H. 54 cm. With its crest raised and beak slightly open, the bird towers over its perch as if frozen mid-song. The rooster (okpa) is a prestige object crafted using the lost-wax casting technique. These royal art pieces were placed on ancestral altars for the queen mothers (Iyoba) beginning in the 16th century. The rooster, embodying the strength, courage, and bravery of the king (the Oba), served as an intermediary between the living and the dead. The animal’s posture reflects its qualities and role: chest puffed out, head held high, legs firmly planted on the ground. The feather details are executed with great finesse. The figure is perched on a hollow element with a tubular opening, which in turn rests on a base decorated with spiral medallions and dotted relief patterns, edged with a row of beads. The ornamental motifs on the base (concentric spirals, dotted field) evoke Edo-period art from the Kingdom of Benin (Nigeria), particularly altar bases and commemorative plaques (attribution proposed with reservation). Condition: A golden-brown patina with metallic sheen depending on the lighting. Research and documentation: Coryse Mwape – Art historian specializing in ancient African art. Internal ref.: 698