February 21 marks the 126th anniversary of the end British massacre that destroyed Benin city

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Lest we forget..

Today marks the 126th anniversary of the end British massacre that destroyed Benin city and started Europe’s ‘discovery’ of African art. The bulk of the looted religious artefacts, Benin visual history, mnemonics, and artworks were sent to Britain.

The looted Benin Bronze catalysed the start of Europe’s valuation of West African art which led to its replication and the artistic assimilation that is said to have formed the early modernist movement.

In short, what has previously been termed barbaric and uncivilized became a tenet of European art.