102
FIG. 9 (left): Curve Pattern
plaque fragment: mudfi sh.
Benin, Nigeria. 16th century.
Copper alloy. H: 34.3 cm.
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New
York, gift of Mr. and Mrs. Klaus G.
Perls, 1991, inv. 1991.17.27.
Photo courtesy of metmuseum.org.
FIG. 10 (below): Angle
Pattern plaque: junior court
offi cial with sword.
Benin, Nigeria. 16th century.
Copper alloy. H: 50.8 cm.
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New
York, gift of Mr. and Mrs. Klaus G.
Perls, 1991, inv. 1991.17.23.
Photo courtesy of metmuseum.org.
FIG. 11 (right): Angle
Pattern plaque: the oba, his
enobore (supporters), and
two leopards. Benin, Nigeria.
16th century.
Copper alloy. H: 46.2 cm.
British Museum, inv. Af1898,0115.29.
© The Trustees of the British Museum.
on the left and right sides that are perpendicular
to the plaque face. This feature does not appear
on any of the narrow plaques. These fl anges may
point to the way that the plaques were installed
on each pillar. If the wide and narrow plaques
were hung perpendicular to each other on the
four sides of the pillar with like types opposite
each other, the fl anges of the wide plaques
would abut the edges of the narrow plaques,
creating a framing effect (fi g. 2). The fact that
fl anges are found only on wide plaques strengthens
the idea that the wide and narrow plaques
formed a decorative unit to sheathe each pillar
in the courtyard.
The fl anges on the wide plaques point not only
to the way that the plaques were hung but may
also shed light on when they were made. Of the
341 wide plaques I have visited in person or examined
through photographs, 254 have extant
fl anges. Sorting these plaques by fl ange pattern
revealed evidence of three distinct groups of
plaques through the simple vertical braid pattern
that decorates each fl ange. These patterns
fall into three types: single-woven curve, single
woven angle, and double-woven patterns,
which we will refer to as the Curve Group, the
Angle Group, and the Double-Woven Group
(fi gs. 4–6). The differences in style and technical
accomplishment between the three groups
suggest that they were produced in succession.
The following examples provide a general orientation
to the style of each fl ange pattern group.
The Curve Group is defi ned by low-relief, simple
compositions, a large number of single fi gures,
and a high proportion of plaques featuring
animals or inanimate objects. These plaques are
slightly smaller than the others and are nearly
all exactly 30 cm wide. A plaque of a warrior
in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum
of Art (fi g. 7) is a typical example of the Curve
Group. Two Portuguese fi gures stand in the center
of the plaque, depicted in hierarchal scale,
with one Portuguese trader much larger than
his companion. The men fl oat in the center of
the plaque, with no ornament beyond the standard
river-leaf pattern that is found on the background
of most plaques. The fi gures hold hands
awkwardly, their arms constrained by the low
FEATURE
/metmuseum.org
/metmuseum.org
