Serene Head with Verdigris Patina, Ife Style

Serene, idealised portraits rendered with striking naturalism — fine facial striations, calm almond eyes and full lips — evoking the classical sculpture of ancient Ife.

Bronze has long been the language of power in West Africa. Cast by the lost-wax method — in which a model shaped in wax is encased in clay and replaced by molten metal — these works preserve with remarkable fidelity the faces, regalia and ceremonies of the courts that commissioned them.

A naturalistic head of remarkable calm, with softly swelling cheeks, heavy-lidded almond eyes and full, gently closed lips. A fine incised line traces the hairline across the smooth cranium.

The tall neck is marked with horizontal rings. Patches of pale green verdigris and the open, weathered crown testify to the age and history of the casting, adding depth to its quiet dignity.