Cast metal sculpture representing a leopard’s head, rendered with dense surface stippling to evoke the animal’s spotted coat. The broad muzzle, bared teeth, and alert ears emphasize power and vigilance, while incised lines articulate whiskers and facial contours. Leopards were royal symbols in Benin art, associated with authority, protection, and the Oba’s martial strength. Such works were often used as court regalia or architectural ornaments, underscoring the leopard’s role as an emblem of kingship and controlled ferocity.
The leopard was a powerful royal animal and a major symbol of the Oba (king), representing his strength, authority, and cunning. One of the Oba’s sobriquets was “Ekpen N ‘owa,” meaning “the Home Leopard”
Omorogbe Aigbe, Benin Bronze Leopard Head; Bronze-cast (lost-wax), Private Collection, Benin City
HIGHPOLY MODEL INCLUDED IN ADDITIONAL FILES