In this watercolor, Papa captures the dual nature of the Benin elite: the warrior and the courtier. The figure stands with the eben sword of ritual honor in one hand and the spear of physical defense in the other.
The original artifact was designed for permanence—cast in heavy, immutable brass to line the pillars of the Oba’s palace. Papa’s interpretation intentionally subverts that weight. By using "fragile layers of light," the artist transforms a symbol of rigid authority into a "restive soul," vibrant and fluid. It is a dialogue between the monumental history of a 500-year-old empire and the luminosity of a modern spiritual journey.
Status: One of the final 7 original watercolors available from this series.Watercolour of Benin plaques painted in The British Museum, African Galleries, London

In this complex composition, Papa captures the grand hierarchy of the Benin Court. The central figure—likely the Oba himself—is physically supported by his attendants, a visual metaphor for a leader who carries the weight of an empire. By translating this crowded, monumental brass into watercolor, Papa invites us to see the collective rhythm of the scene. The "restive souls" here are not just individual warriors, but the living pulse of a ceremony that has survived for centuries.

A meditation on power and prophecy. This watercolor explores the defiant figure of a Benin warrior holding the 'Bird of Prophecy'—a symbol of the Oba’s victory over fate itself. The heavy, cast brass of the original plaque is here reimagined through transparent washes, turning a 500-year-old symbol of authority into a luminous study of spirit

In this portrait, Papa moves past the cold, immovable bronze to find the living spirit of the Iyoba—the Mother of the King. This figure represents the most powerful feminine authority in the "African Renaissance" era. By interpreting this heavy, cast-metal monument through the "fragile layers of light" of watercolor, Papa reveals the quiet strength behind the regalia. The transparency of the medium allows the viewer to see the "restive soul" within the intricate coral lattice of her crown. It is a dialogue between the monumental weight of history and the luminous, modern inquiry into ancestral wisdom.

In this watercolor, Papa captures the tension between heavy, ancient history and the fluid, spiritual present. The figure is a Benin Warrior Chief at the moment of ritual victory—holding the eben sword of loyalty and the Ahianmwen-Oro bird of prophecy. Legend tells of an Oba who was told he would lose a war; he killed the "prophetic" bird, won the battle, and turned the bird into a symbol of human will over destiny.
By interpreting this rigid, monumental brass through the "fragile light" of watercolor, Papa invites the collector to see the "restive soul" of the warrior, unburdened by the weight of the metal.

In "Like Father Like Son," the artist captures a moment of quiet, generational gravity. This is not just a portrait of two figures; it is a portrait of time. The Oba stands as a monumental pillar of history, guiding the smaller, emerging figure into the sacred traditions of the "African Renaissance."
By interpreting this heavy, cast brass through the "fragile layers of light" of watercolor, the artist reveals the vulnerability and human connection inherent in succession. The original metal was meant to be eternal and unyielding, but the transparency of the medium suggests the "restive souls" within the ritual—the weight of a crown being passed and the silent promise of a legacy continued.

In this work, the artist explores the moment of encounter. This is not just a portrait of a "stranger," but a record of the Benin Kingdom’s sophistication as a global player. The figure—a 16th-century Portuguese official—is captured with the same ritual gravity as the Edo kings and warriors. By interpreting this heavy, cast brass through the "fragile layers of light" of watercolor, the artist transforms a historical document into a vibrant study of discovery. While the original bronze sought to memorialize a trade alliance in permanent metal, the transparency of the watercolor reveals the "restive souls" caught in this historic exchange. It is a dialogue between the monumental past of the Benin Empire and the luminous curiosity of a modern spiritual journey.

Watercolour of Benin plaques painted in The British Museum, African Galleries, London

Watercolour of Benin plaques painted in The British Museum, African Galleries, London

Watercolour of Benin plaques painted in The British Museum, African Galleries, London

Watercolour of Benin plaques painted in The British Museum, African Galleries, London

Watercolour of Benin plaques painted in The British Museum, African Galleries, London

Watercolour of Benin plaques painted in The British Museum, African Galleries, London

Watercolour of Benin plaques painted in The British Museum, African Galleries, London

Watercolour of Benin plaques painted in The British Museum, African Galleries, London

Watercolour of Benin plaques painted in The British Museum, African Galleries, London

Watercolour of Benin plaques painted in The British Museum, African Galleries, London

Watercolour of Benin plaques painted in The British Museum, African Galleries, London