Faces of Africa: Kingdom of Ife at the British Museum

Figure of a king, Ita Yemoo, Ife (late 13th-early 15th century, copper alloy) Photograph: PR Photograph: guardian.co.uk Curators install a copper seated figure from the late 13th to early 14th century The kingdom of Ife was a powerful, cosmopolitan city-state in west Africa Photograph: David Levene Photograph: guardian.co.uk Torso of a king, Wunmonije Compound, Ife (early-mid 16th century, copper alloy) Ife flourished as a political, spiritual, cultural and economic centre in the 12th–15th centuries Photograph: PR Photograph: guardian.co.uk Head, Iwinrin Grove, Ife (12th-15th century, terracotta) The artists of Ife developed a refined, naturalistic sculptural tradition in stone, terracotta, brass and copper Photograph: PR Photograph: guardian.co.uk Brass head with crown, Wunmonije Compound, Ife (early 14th century) The sculptural style they created was unlike anything seen in Africa before Photograph: PR Photograph: guardian.co.uk Mask called Obalufon, Ife (14th-early 15th century, copper) The casting process used to create the sculptures was extremely sophisticated Photograph: PR Photograph: guardian.co.uk Head with elaborate crown, Ita Yemoo, Ife (12th-15th century, terracotta) The human figures portray a wide cross-section of society Photograph: PR Photograph: guardian.co.uk Crowned head, Wunmonije Compound, Ife (12th–14th century, copper alloy) The sculptures include images of youth and old age, health and disease, suffering and serenity Photograph: PR Photograph: guardian.co.uk Seated figure, Tada, Ife (late 13th–14th century, copper) The Kingdom of Ife: Sculptures from west Africa runs from 4 March to 6 June at the British Museum Photograph: David Levene Photograph: guardian.co.uk