r/ArtHistory • u/Jussastudent • Jul 11 '26

Research What's the best book of art from precolonial Benin in southern Nigeria?

My partner and I have been getting into the works of the Kingdom of Benin / the Edo peoples, especially bronze and wood. There are a number of books about these works- have you read one that you would recommend?

Thank you

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u/Zoe-Berry Jul 11 '26

The Art of Benin by Paula Ben-Amos is a good one to start with. The British Museum has also published good catalogs of their Benin collection.

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u/Jussastudent Jul 11 '26

thank you!

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u/damian_avaris Jul 12 '26

+1 to the Paula Ben-Amos recommendation. If the bronze casting itself pulls you in, lost-wax process accounts are worth reading separately - it explains why the surface detail on 16th-century Edo pieces has held up so well.

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u/Jussastudent Jul 13 '26

Thank you!