Embedded in current restitution debates, the project by Professor Jürgen Zimmerer of the University of Hamburg focuses on the violent acquisition history of the so-called Benin bronzes. In 1897, about 4000 bronze casts were stolen by British troops from the Kingdom of Benin in what is now Nigeria. However, the project is about more than just coming to terms with colonial art theft. The bronzes not only offer high prices on the art market: they are also considered one of Africa's greatest cultural achievements, which also formed a historical, political, and cultural memory of the society in the kingdom of Benin at that time. What are the consequences of robbing people of their cultural memory? Professor Zimmerer's team is investigating these and other questions in close cooperation with Nigerian partners. Besides the distribution of the bronzes through trans-imperial networks, the team is also studying their influence on art history, international law, and popular images of Africa. Furthermore, it sheds light on debates about restitution claims that were already being raised during the First World War.
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