Loot
Britain and the Benin Bronzes
Oneworld Publications · Print & ebook · June 28, 2022
A tragic story of the British empire run amok and the plunder of great works of art A Prospect Best Book of 2021 ‘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.
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- Who it’s for
- The contested afterlife of art makes imperial history feel immediate.
- Genres
- West African History, Museum Studies & Curation, Colonialism & Its Aftermath
- Published
- Oneworld Publications, June 28, 2022
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A tragic story of the British empire run amok and the plunder of great works of art A Prospect Best Book of 2021 ‘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.’
Continue reading
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. The ‘Benin Bronzes’ are now amongst the most admired and valuable artworks in the world. But seeing them 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?
Art and Empire
The contested afterlife of art makes imperial history feel immediate.
Come here for
- The tangled history of empire, art, and restitution
Expect
- A focused look at the Benin Bronzes’ disputed place in museums
Where it sits
| Colonialism & Its Aftermath | 53% |
|---|---|
| West African History | 37% |
| Museum Studies & Curation | 34% |
Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.
Publisher categories
- African Art History
- Modern Art History (to 1945)
- Art & Politics
- History
Show all 8 publisher categories
- African History
- Central African History
- British History
- Colonialism & Its Aftermath
- Authors
- Barnaby Phillips
- Publisher
- Oneworld Publications
- Published
- June 28, 2022
- Format
- Print & ebook
- Reading lane
- African Art History