‘A fascinating and timely book.’ William Boyd
‘Gripping…a must read.’ FT
‘Compelling…humane, reasonable, and ultimately optimistic.’ Evening Standard
‘[A] valuable guide to a complex narrative.’ The Times
In
1897, Britain sent a punitive expedition to the Kingdom of Benin, in
what is today Nigeria, in retaliation for the killing of seven British
officials and traders. British soldiers and sailors captured Benin,
exiled its king and annexed the territory. They also made off with some
of Africa’s greatest works of art.
This is the story of the
‘Benin Bronzes’: their history before the British took them, their fate
since 1897, and the intense debate about their future. When they were
first displayed in London their splendour and antiquity challenged the
prevailing view of Africa as a continent without culture or history.
They are now amongst the most admired and valuable artworks in the
world. But seeing the Benin Bronzes in the British Museum today is, in
the words of one Benin City artist, like ‘visiting relatives behind
bars’. In a time of huge controversy about the legacy of empire, racial
justice and the future of museums, what does the future hold for the
Bronzes?
