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Loot: Britain and the Benin Bronzes

by Barnaby Phillips

Hardback (unsigned) £20
Published 1st April 2021, 400 pages
Signed first edition £20
First edition, first printing, signed by the author
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Description

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. 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?

Details

Loot: Britain and the Benin Bronzes
by Barnaby Phillips

ISBN
9781786079350

Publisher
Oneworld Publications

Binding
Hardback

Publication date
April 1, 2021

Dimensions
23.4cm x 15.3cm x 3.5cm

Page count
400 pages