While he was in the African galleries, Mr Monkey examined a wide selection of pottery, and some 16th century brass panels from a palace in Benin. Most of these brass panels were collected by the British Punitive Expedition of 1897, so collected probably means stolen. The panels depicted the lives of the royalty of Benin. Apparently some Europeans didn't believe that work of such quality could come from Africa.
Copyright Rik Shepherd and Mr Monkey. This page last modified 11 March 2005.