Description (Labels & Markings)
Marked in white ink below Museum label: '11436' [Stevens or Webster Lot. no.]
Event Date
Author: Lucie Carreau

Context (Related Documents)
Later replacement catalogue card reads, in blue biro: "1902 E. 107, 108 | AFRICA | WESt AFRICA / NIGERIA / Two small human FIGURES carved in wood, male and female, both in the same attitude with hands holding their sides. H. 5" and 5.4" / Benin, West Africa 1897 Expedition / purchased Steven / Professor Bevan's donation | R. 1903 417, 418."

Red circular sticker in bottom left of card.
Event Date
Author: Katrina Dring

Context (Field collection)
E 1902.94 - E 1902.115 are recorded in the Accession Register as acquired on the 'Benin, West Africa 1897 Expedition’ indicating they formed part of the spoils taken during the looting of Oba Ovonramwen Nogbaisi’s royal palace by British troops led by Admiral Sir Henry Rawson. This punitive expedition was a response to the ambush of a British party led by Acting Consul General James Philips which had sought to enter Benin City during Ague (Igue), the new year festival of renewal, against the wishes of the Oba.
Event Date 1897
Author: Rachel Hand

Context (Field collection)
Collected on the 1897 Punitive Expedition.
Event Date 1897
Author: Eleanor Wilkinson

Description (Physical description)
Catalogue card for E 1902.107-108: 'Two small human figures carved in wood, male and female, both in the same attitude with hands holding their sides'.
Event Date 1902
Author: maa

Description (Labels & Markings)
Label adhered to the back of the head reads: '1902.107. Benin. W. Africa. * Prof. Bevan'.
Event Date 1902
Author: Lucie Carreau

Context (Auction / Sale)
E 1902.93 - E 1902.115 are annotated in the Register as 'B. Stevens *Prof Bevan' indicating they were purchased at an undated 1902 auction at J.C. Stevens saleroom, 38 King Street Covent Garden, London, with money donated to the Museum’s Accessions Fund by Prof. Anthony Ashley Bevan.
Event Date 1902
Author: Lucie Carreau

Description (Physical description)
Small carved wooden male figure.
Event Date 28/5/2001
Author: ashleigh griffin

Context (References)
Cf Plankensteiner 2007 / Benin. Kings and Rituals: Court Arts from Nigeria. Gent: Snoeck Publishers
Event Date 2007
Author: rachel hand

Context (References)
Photographed as part of the Art UK Sculpture project, August - September 2019. The project aims to create a free-to-access online photographic showcase of publicly owned sculpture. The three-year project focuses on sculpture dating from the last 1,000 years, held in public collections and outdoor locations across the UK



Event Date 3/6/2020
Author: rachel hand

Context (Amendments / updates)
The number is white was assumed in 2020 to indicate a William Webster lot number based on similarities to other marked Webster material. The museum documentation lists only the purchase from Stevens. While it is possible that Stevens acquired it from Webster, it is known that Webster purchased widely at Cutters and other auctions. Cf Plankenskeiner 2007.
Event Date 8/10/2021
Author: rachel hand

Conservation (Remedial)
CON.2022.5439 | Remedial
Event Date 4/10/2022
Author: Kirstie French

Loan (Exhibition)
Fitzwilliam Museum (UCM), 25/7/2023 to 7/1/2024, Enslavement & Resistance: Cambridge & the Black Atlantic
Event Date 25/7/2023
Author: rachel hand