Figure of a Court Dwarf

This Figure of a Court Dwarf is part of the historical collections from the Benin Kingdom, in present-day Nigeria. In 1897, the kingdom was conquered and Oba (king) Ovonramwen banned into exile. The loot from the royal palace was then sold through the art market to finance the conquest in retrospect. Many of these objects today constitute European collections. This Figure of a Court Dwarf can be directly linked with the events of 1897.