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Head of a Woman, Benin, by Walker Evans, photographic, 1935

Head of a Woman, Benin

Walker Evans

1935

photographic

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Early Modern

Dominant colour

Head of a Woman, Benin is a 1935 photographic by Walker Evans, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?
Walker Evans
When & what style?
1935
Where can I see it?
Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

This is a black-and-white photo of a bronze head. The face has a calm, slightly smiling mouth and closed eyes. The head is topped with a woven hat and a beaded necklace sits around the neck. The photo was taken in 1935 as part of an exhibition of African art. The label calls it a "portrait of a queen mother," though we can’t confirm that. Check out the Victoria and Albert Museum to see this piece in person.

The story of this work

Overview

The photograph depicts a bronze sculpture of a woman’s head from an exhibition of African art, part of a display featuring Benin bronzes. The image was taken in 1935 by Walker Evans as part of a broader documentation of cultural artifacts. The sculpture’s historical context includes its classification under the term "negro art," reflecting the terminology of the period.

Read the full account in the museum source.

About the artist

Artist

Walker Evans

Walker Evans made stark black-and-white photos of carved wooden heads from Benin in 1935.

See the richer artist page

Same subject

Head of a Youth, Benin
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Head of a Youth, Benin

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Ancestral figure

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Figure of a woman. Senufo, Ivory Coast, border of Sudan.

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