Yoruba Ere-Ibeji |
EXAMPLES BELOW ARE NOT IN MY COLLECTION - THEY ARE FOR REFERENCE PURPOSES ONLY CLICK HERE to see the Ibeji figures in my collection |
Twin figures, ibeji, by the Master of the Owu Shango Shrine. Yoruba, Nigeria. Wood, beads; 28.5cm (11.3"). 1997.3.1, 1997.3.2. Denver Art Museum, Denver Colorado |
Christie's - Paris Art Africain et Océanien Auction Date : Jun 7, 2005 Lot 203 : STATUETTE YOROUBA Description Nigéria Ibeji, représentant un personnage féminin debout sur une base carrée, la bordure à motif de triangles, le visage aux joues scarifiées, les yeux aux pupilles insérées de clous de métal, la coiffure en tresses se terminant par un chignon à l'arrière du crâne, le corps richement orné de différents colliers, bijoux et pendentifs et des boucles d'oreilles en perles de verre multicolores. Hauteur: 25 cm. Estimate:€ 1,000 - € 1,500 Price Realized:€ 19,200 $ 23,133 |
Christie's - Paris Art Africain, Océanien et Précolombien Auction Date : Dec 8, 2004 Lot 160 : PAIRE DE STATUETTES YOROUBA Description Nigéria Ere Ibedji, représentant deux hommes debout sur des bases circulaires, les mains sur les hanches, les visages scarifiés, les coiffures coniques incisées rehaussées de pigment indigo, l'un avec un collier de perles noires autour de la taille, l'autre avec un bracelet en fer et un collier de perles noires autour de la cheville. Patine sombre avec restes de poudre. Hauteurs: 29.5 et 30 cm (2) Estimate:€ 2,000 - € 3,000 Price Realized:€ 2,585 $ 3,114 Provenance Lester Wundermann, New York |
Sotheby's - New York African, Oceanic and Pre-Columbian Art Auction Date : Nov 11, 2004 Lot 88 : A YORUBA PAIR OF MALE TWIN FIGURES Description ibejis, Igbomina region, each of similar form, with rounded hips, one encircled with beads at the ankles and waist, the arms held to the sides and incised pendants at the chest and back, with softly worn stylized features including jutting chins, full lips and large, diamond-shaped eyes framed by pointed, back swept ears and wearing toque-like, four-pointed coiffures; aged and encrusted blackened patina. Dimensions height of tallest 11 in. 28cm Estimate:$ 3,000 - $ 5,000 Price Realized:$ 0 Provenance PROPERTY FROM AN AMERICAN PRIVATE COLLECTION Acquired in Amsterdam, 1960's |
Samuel T. Freeman & Co. - Philadelphia Bernstein Collection: African & Oceanic Auction Date : May 22, 2004 Lot 183 : TWO CARVED WOOD IBEJI FIGURES Description One with beaded belt, other with beaded necklace. Hts: 10, 10 1/2 in. Estimate:$ 500 - $ 700 Price Realized:$ 200 |
Sotheby's - New York African, Oceanic and Pre-Columbian Art Auction Date : May 14, 2004 Lot 59 : A FINE PAIR OF YORUBA TWIN FIGURES Description ere ibeji, Ila-Orangun, Igbomina group, each of similar standing form, the female with beads encircling the waist, the male and female with beads and an incised pendant encircling the neck, the large stylized heads with rounded chins bisected by a double-raised ridge beneath the protruding mouths and eyes outlined with zigzag incising, the female with a striated upswept coiffure, the male with a conical coiffure; heavily encrusted and finely worn patina. Dimensions height of tallest 11 1/8 in. 28.5cm Estimate:$ 5,000 - $ 7,000 Price Realized:$ 9,000 Provenance Acquired in Amsterdam, circa 1965 Notes Cf. Sotheby's New York, May 17, 2002, lot 2 and Drewal, Pemberton, Abiodun (1989: 33, figure 33) for a related ere-ibeji pair by Bogunjoko of Ila-Orangun (1800-1870). See also Chemeche (2003: figures 140 and 141) for related pairs and discussion. |
Sotheby's - New York African & Oceanic Art Auction Date : Nov 14, 2003 Lot 60 : A SUPERB YORUBA MALE TWIN FIGURE, PROBABLY BY THE MASTER OF THE ARCHAIC SMILE OR ATELIER Description DETAILED DESCRIPTION ibeji, standing on a circular base with arms held to the side, the square shoulders beneath the elongated neck encircled by a carved necklace with triangular pendant and another necklace with blue and red beads, the face with smiling mouth, sagittate nose and bulging eyes with pronounced lids and prominently incised lashes beneath an upswept conical coiffure with incised linear motifs; exceptionally fine and varied dark brown patina heavily encrusted in areas of camwood powder. Dimensions height 10 3/4 in. 27.3cm Estimate:$ 5,000 - $ 7,000 Price Realized:$ 3,600 Provenance PROPERTY FROM AN AMERICAN COLLECTION Acquired in Amsterdam, mid-1960's Notes Cf. Sotheby's New York, April 21, 1990, lot 329 for a related ibeji figure from the Archaic Smile master formerly in the Harry A. Franklin collection. According to Fagg and Pemberton (1982: 140), 'The southern Igbomina town of Ila-Orangun is famous for its generations of carvers associated with Inurin's compound in Isperin quarter. One of the most famous is called by William Fagg 'the master of the archaic smile'. A comparison of several examples at the National Museum, Lagos and in other collections suggests that more than one carver worked in this style. Marilyn Houlberg (personal communication, 1981), who studied ibeji figures from Ila, notes that three documented carvings of this style in the National Museum belonged to persons in Obasaba's compound in Isperin quarter were said to have been carved between 1850 and 1885. 'The unknown carver of these enchanting figures has defied the convention of the passive or somber facial expression. He has exaggerated the lips and given prominence to the chin in a fashion that is almost uniquely seen among the carvers of Inurin's compound' (Sotheby's 1990). |
Sotheby's - New York African & Oceanic Art Auction Date : Nov 14, 2003 Lot 49 : A PAIR OF YORUBA TWIN FIGURES Description DETAILED DESCRIPTION ibejis, each of similar form and wearing a shared tunic with elaborate beadwork in geometric motifs, the necks encircled with glass beads, the broad faces with finely worn features including smiling mouths, flat noses and upturned eyes beneath an upswept single crested striated coiffure; fine blackened patina with areas of indigo at the coiffure. Dimensions height of tallest 13 1/4 in. 33.7cm Estimate:$ 4,000 - $ 6,000 Price Realized:$ 2,400 Provenance PROPERTY FROM AN AMERICAN COLLECTION Acquired in Amsterdam, mid-1960's |
Examples directly below are from the book: ISN'T S/HE A DOLL In more recent times, some Yoruba people started using commercially produced plastic dolls as ere ibeji figures |
Noimoto, a Yoruba woman, is using a plastic doll as an ere Ibeji Photographed by Marilyn Houlberg, Igbo-Ora, Nigeria, 1970 |
Commercially produced dolls used as ere ibeji. Yoruba peoples, Nigeria Plastic, metal Taller 25 cm UCLA Fowler Museum |
Images of Ibeji figures from the "Oyo Region" |
Ibeji pair Kisi, Oyo H 9.5" and 10.5" Private collection, New York |
Ibeji figure Kisi, Oyo h 10.75" Gabriela Brown, Tel Aviv |
Ibeji pair Igbuke, Oyo H. 11" (28 cm) Mottas Collection, Lausanne |
I am currently working on this page to add MANY pictures of Ibeji figures. Check back soon for more pictures and information. |
Some pictures of some nice pieces showing different styles. Click on an image to see larger picture. |
For more information on the Ibeji figures and a great article by David Zemanek of www.tribalartsforum.org click on the link below (this is the article that first got me interested in these figures): The Yoruba Ibedji Twin Cult |
Click below to go to the article Yoruba Customs and Beliefs Pertaining to Twins It's a GREAT article with lots of interesting information on the Yoruba people and the Ere-Ibeji figures. It's not a very long article and it's worth the read! |
Ibeji - The Cult of Yoruba Twins is an excellent reference book on the Ibeji figures and contains hundreds of images and lots of information. I highly recommend this book! Click on the photo of the cover of the book to go to Amazon.com to see the book. |
Rand African Art home page African maternity figures main page Yoruba main page |
Ibeji figure (female) Igbuke, Oyo region, Nigeria H. 11 1/4" Collection of George Chemeche, NY From the book -Ibeji - The Cult of Yoruba Twins |
Ibeji figure (female) Igbuke, Oyo region, Nigeria H. 11" Collection of Susan Allen, Boston From the book -Ibeji - The Cult of Yoruba Twins |
Ibeji figure (female) Igbuke, Oyo region, Nigeria H. 11 1/4" Collection of Drs. Noble and Jean Endicott, NY From the book -Ibeji - The Cult of Yoruba Twins |
Female ‘ere ibeji’ figure Yoruba, Igbomina from Offa 9.4” tall ex Zemanek (88th Tribal Art Auction) ex private collection, Berlin, Germany Ibeji figures aren’t something I actively collect. I have a great appreciation for some of the beautiful ones, but in general they’re not an aesthetic that I really connect with, especially the ones with more bulbous eyes. I tend to like atypical and unusualones which is exactly what drew me to this specific figure which is very unique ibeji figure in a rare style. The figure is very cubist in form with lots of great complimenting angles starting with the triangular nose and eyebrows, which are also complimented by the triangular shape of the ears when viewed from a quarter-angle. From a profile view the downward triangular shape of the breasts is complimented by the upward triangular shape of the butt. However, the figure is almost best viewed from the back in my opinion. The triangular negative spaces between the arms and the slender body flank the wonderful triangular shape of the torso. The triangular negative space between the legs mirrors the triangular torso section directly above. It is adorned with many great old beads, the most interesting of which are very tiny slender disc-shaped strands that are found on the right arm and right leg |