{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O134456"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O134456/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006BH8937/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006BH8937/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006BH8937","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O134456","accessionNumber":"E.48-1987","objectType":"Print","titles":[{"title":"I. Ancestral Heads","type":"assigned by artist"},{"title":"History of the Benin Bronzes","type":"series title"}],"summaryDescription":"In 1897, following a series of frustrated attempts to end a monopoly on palm oil and various other commodities held by the Oba (king) of Benin, the British led a punitive raid on Benin City. Justification for this brutal event was sought, in the British press, by depicting the Oba and his people as ‘savages’ who practised human sacrifice. However, the elaborately carved ivories and cast brass plaques and sculpture seized from the royal court, and dispersed to British museum collections, were evidence of a sophisticated and technologically-advanced society.\r\n\r\nThis unsavoury aspect of British history was reflected on by artist Tony Phillips in a 1984 series of etchings, <i>History of the Benin Bronzes</i>. In this image, the first in the suite of twelve plates, we see commemorative brass heads of deceased Obas and, furthermost, the Queen Mother, placed in a shrine dedicated to royal ancestors. The heads are surmounted by ivory tusks with carved images of former kings, warrior chiefs, soldiers and animals with symbolic royal powers.","physicalDescription":"Etching depicting commemorative brass heads of deceased Obas and, furthermost, the Queen Mother, placed in a shrine dedicated to royal ancestors, Benin City","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Phillips, Tony","id":"A4285"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"paper","id":"x30308"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Etching, printed in brown, tinted with pink wash","categories":[{"text":"Black History","id":"THES48989"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2006BH8937"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"LVLE","id":"THES49657"},"free":"","case":"MP","shelf":"225","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"prints","id":"AAT41273"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"United Kingdom","id":"x29336"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1984","earliest":"1984-01-01","latest":"1984-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"E.49-1987","id":"O43985"},"association":"Set"},{"object":{"text":"E.50-1987","id":"O43986"},"association":"Set"},{"object":{"text":"E.51-1987","id":"O43987"},"association":"Set"},{"object":{"text":"E.52-1987","id":"O45656"},"association":"Set"},{"object":{"text":"E.53-1987","id":"O43989"},"association":"Set"},{"object":{"text":"E.54-1987","id":"O43990"},"association":"Set"},{"object":{"text":"E.55-1987","id":"O43991"},"association":"Set"},{"object":{"text":"E.56-1987","id":"O43992"},"association":"Set"},{"object":{"text":"E.57-1987","id":"O43993"},"association":"Set"},{"object":{"text":"E.58-1987","id":"O43994"},"association":"Set"},{"object":{"text":"E.59-1987","id":"O43995"},"association":"Set"}],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"21.4","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"26.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"'Ancestral Heads', etching from the series 'History of the Benin Bronzes', Tony Phillips, 1984","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"sculpture","id":"AAT47090"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["E.48-1987"],"accessionNumberNum":"48","accessionNumberPrefix":"E","accessionYear":1987,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"Plate I of XII","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-09","recordCreationDate":"2007-05-04","availableToBook":false}}