Object Number
1991.17.89
Institution
Metropolitan Museum of Art Edo designations
English designations
Bird of Prophecy Staff
Categories
Musical Instruments
Ceremonial Objects
Staffs
Location
1000 5th Ave, New York, NY 10028, United States
Loading...
Provenance
5
events
Institution data
Metropolitan Museum of Art
The data was transferred directly by the institution.
Last updated: 2021-07-30
Language: english
| Institution field | Value |
|---|---|
Object Number object id | 1991.17.89 |
Object Sort Number object id | 1991 17 89 |
Primary Rendition No object id | DT6581 |
Title designation object type | Idiophone: Bird of Prophecy (ahianmwen-oro) |
Medium material | Brass, iron |
Dimensions dimensions | H. 13 in. × W. 3 3/4 in. × D. 3 3/4 in. (33 × 9.5 × 9.5 cm) |
Classification object type | Metal-Musical Instruments |
Date date made | 16th–19th century |
Geo: City production place | Court of Benin |
Geo: Country production place | Nigeria |
Credit Line prior source | Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Klaus G. Perls, 1991 |
Provenance provenance | Adolph Schwartz, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, until 1980; (Sotheby Parke-Bernet and Co., London June 16, 1980, no. 13); Mr. and Mrs. Klaus G. Perls, New York, until 1991 |
Dynasty reign associated name | Oranmiyan |
Culture ethnic attribution | Edo peoples |
ExhibitionHistory exhibition history | The Art of Black Africa (Die Kunst von SchwarzAfrika ) Kunsthaus Zürich, October 31, 1970–February 10,1971 Royal Art of Benin from the Perls Collection The Metropolitan Museum of Art, January 16, 1992–September 13,1992 Art and Oracle: African Art and Rituals ofDivination Museum Rietberg, November 14, 1999–February 27,2000 The Metropolitan Museum of Art, April 24, 2000–July 30,2000 |
Bibliography bibliography | Ezra, Kate. Royal Art of Benin: The Perls Collection in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1992, pp. 196–197, no. 89. |
Published References bibliography | Arts Council of Great Britain, London. 1967. West Africa: Court and Tribal Art (exhibition catalogue): no. 15. Kunsthaus, Zurich. 1970. Die Kunst von Schwarz-Africa, by E. Leuzinger (exhibition catalogue): no. K11. Leuzinger, E. 1972. The Art of Black Africa . Greenwich: no. K13. Leuzinger, E. 1976. The Art of Black Africa . New York: 8, 209. Sotheby Parke-Bernet and Co., London. 1980. Catalogue of Works of Art from Benin. Sale catalogue of June 16, 1980: lot 13. "ROYAL ART OF BENIN. The Perls Collection in The Metropolitan Museum of Art." Kate Ezra. The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Harry N. Abrams Inc., New York 1992 Cat. 89 Girshick Ben-Amos, P. 1995. The Art of Benin (revised edition). Smithsonian Institution Press: Washington D.C., p. 103; fig. 82. LaGamma, A. 2000. Art and Oracle: African Art and Rituals of Divination. The Metropolitan Museum of Art: New York (exhibition checklist). |
Metropolitan Museum of Art
The data was downloaded via a public data access of the institution.
Last updated: 2025-05-26
Language: english
| Institution field | Value |
|---|---|
Is Highlight | False |
Is Timeline Work | False |
Is Public Domain license | True |
Object ID object id | 316559 |
Department department and institution | Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas |
AccessionYear accession date | 1991 |
Object Name object type | Idiophone |
Title designation | Idiophone: Bird of Prophecy (ahianmwen-oro) |
Culture ethnic attribution | Edo peoples |
Object Date date made | 16th–19th century |
Object Begin Date date made | 1500 |
Object End Date date made | 1897 |
Medium material | Brass, iron |
Dimensions dimensions | H. 13 in. × W. 3 3/4 in. × D. 3 3/4 in. (33 × 9.5 × 9.5 cm) |
Credit Line prior source | Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Klaus G. Perls, 1991 |
City | Court of Benin |
Country production place | Nigeria |
Classification object type | Metal-Musical Instruments |
Link Resource weblink | http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/316559 |
Repository department and institution | Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY |
Tags iconography | Birds |
Tags AAT URL iconography | http://vocab.getty.edu/page/aat/300266506 |
Tags Wikidata URL iconography | https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5113 |
Sensitive Content
Digital Benin collates digital material from institutions, and some of this material is inherently colonial and contains words, terms and phrases that are inaccurate, derogatory and harmful towards African and African diasporic communities. Catalogue transcriptions, book titles, exhibition titles and museum titles may contain harmful terms. We recognise the potential for the material to cause physical and mental distress as well as evoke strong emotions. Owing to the scale of the collection’s data, a process to implement sensitive-content warnings in the displayed data is still incomplete. The material within the catalogue does not represent Digital Benin’s views. Digital Benin maintains a strong anti-colonial, anti-racist position and affirms its support for centring the humanity of historically marginalised and disenfranchised communities. Read more about the background of this statement here