Introduction to the Benin Bronzes
The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, exhibited a collection of Benin Bronzes in 2013, which included sculptures and other items from the Kingdom of Benin. The collection was lent by Robert Owen Lehman Jr., a wealthy collector, who promised to donate the items to the museum over time. The exhibition acknowledged that the items were plundered by British soldiers from the Kingdom of Benin in 1897.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The Exhibition and Its Significance
The museum created a gallery to display the Benin Bronzes, which included information about the looting and the history of the items. The exhibition featured a "particularly excellent" sculpture of a warrior on horseback, as well as other significant items such as a 19th-century staff topped with a bird figure and a 17th-century double gong. The museum also invited the royal leader of the Kingdom of Benin, the oba, to the opening of the exhibition.
The Request for Repatriation
Several years after the exhibition, a new oba contacted the museum, seeking ownership of the Benin Bronzes. The museum had discussions with the oba’s representatives and Lehman about how to handle the request. Unfortunately, the discussions did not lead to a mutually agreeable resolution, and the museum announced that almost all of the items would be returned to Lehman.
The Museum’s Stance on Repatriation
The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, strives to be a leader in ethical stewardship and restitution decisions. The museum’s director, Matthew Teitelbaum, stated that they were unable to make progress on a mutually agreeable resolution for the Benin Bronzes. The museum will continue to seek a resolution regarding the ownership and display of the five items that Lehman donated to the museum between 2012 and 2020.
The Broader Context of Repatriation
The removal of cultural artifacts from their countries of origin is a significant issue in the art world. Many museums, including the Smithsonian, have returned items to their countries of origin as part of a broader reckoning with the legacy of colonialism. The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, has adopted guidelines related to items from the colonial era, which require them to investigate the provenance of artworks and consider restituting them to their countries of origin.
The Significance of the Benin Bronzes
The Benin Bronzes are a significant part of the cultural heritage of the Kingdom of Benin, and their removal by British soldiers in 1897 is a painful reminder of the legacy of colonialism. The repatriation of these items is an important step towards healing and reconciliation. As Ndubuisi C. Ezeluomba, curator of African art at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, noted, "The heat is really on Western museums" to return these items to their countries of origin.
Conclusion
The story of the Benin Bronzes is a complex and nuanced one, involving issues of cultural heritage, colonialism, and repatriation. While the outcome of the discussions between the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, the Kingdom of Benin, and Robert Owen Lehman Jr. was not what anyone had hoped for, it highlights the need for ongoing dialogue and cooperation between museums, collectors, and communities of origin. Ultimately, the repatriation of cultural artifacts is an important step towards healing and reconciliation, and it is essential that museums prioritize ethical stewardship and restitution decisions.
