Pair of Female Ere Ibeji

Pair of Female Ere Ibeji - Yoruba, Kwara State, Nigeria This pair of figures depicts two almost mirror-image female figures on round pedestals. Slender bodies, freely suspended arms, and clearly sculpted breasts stand in deliberate contrast to the disproportionately large heads. Large, wide-open eyes, striking mouths, and delicate linear cheek markings lend the faces an alert presence. The elaborate hairstyles, structured in parallel grooves, are particularly meticulously crafted. Multi-strand glass bead necklaces at the neck and hips add colorful accents against the warm, dark brown wood surface. The smoothed patina suggests repeated handling and ritual care. In the Yoruba region of present-day Kwara State, especially around Ilorin and in the Igbomina region, the tradition of ere ibeji is part of a pronounced cult of twins. Comparable figures from Ilorin and Igbomina are documented in museum collections. When one twin died, a carved figure could embody their continuing spiritual presence. It was washed, oiled, clothed, adorned with beads, and symbolically cared for. Although they represent deceased children, ere ibeji traditionally appear as idealized adults - expressions of wholeness, vitality, and enduring familial bonds. Literature (selection): William Fagg / John Pemberton III: Yoruba: Sculpture of West Africa, New York 1982. George Chemeche: Ibeji: The Cult of Yoruba Twins, Milan 2003. Robert Farris Thompson: Black Gods and Kings: Yoruba Art at UCLA, Bloomington 1971. Some of the information is generated by artificial intelligence and is based on published sources from the fields of ethnography, archaeology, and art history. Informant Wassiu Inv. No. MAZ24140 Height: 27 cm / 26 cm Weight: 230 g / 240 g