1 / 13

Description

A Yoruba Pair of Twin Figures, "ere ibeji"

Pair of twin figures, "ere ibeji" Yoruba, Nigeria, Kogi State, Egbe Mekun (town) Ohne Sockel / without base Wood, glass beads. H 29 - 30 cm. Provenance: - Mareidi and Gert Stoll, Galerie Schwarz-Weiss, Munich. - Swiss private collection. Published: Stoll, Gert / Stoll, Mareidi / Klever, Ulrich (1980). Ibeji, twin figures of the Yoruba. Self-published. Page 279. Described by Gert and Mareidi Stoll 1980 in "Ibeji, Zwillingsfiguren der Yoruba" on page 279 as follows: "Ibeji pair, Egbe (llorin) area/Kwara State. High, crown-shaped hairstyles and hands folded over the stomach characterize these Ibeji. The contours of the faces of these very beautiful specimens are barely recognizable due to many years of treatment in the cult." -------------------------------------------- Twins have always been puzzled over: deified or demonized, in legends and myths, even in astrology, we find the pairs as an expression of the fascination that emanates from them. This is also the case with the Yoruba people in south-western Nigeria, who have been proven to have the highest twin birth rate in the world. The Yoruba attribute special supernatural powers to twins. On the one hand, they bring luck, health and prosperity to the family and, on the other, they can ward off disaster, illness and death. For this reason, they enjoy special interest throughout their lives. For the Yoruba, twins have a common indivisible soul. If one of the twins dies, the balance of this unity is disturbed and the surviving twin is consequently endangered. To avoid this, a wooden figure, called ibeji, is consecrated in a ceremonial ritual as a symbolic substitute home for the soul of the deceased. The well-being of the second twin then depends on the care and veneration of this ibeji. At the same time, another figure is made to house the soul of the second twin. Once both twins have died, the figures continue to be carefully guarded and kept as mementos until no one can remember the deceased. Further reading: Chemeche, George (2003). Ibeji. The Cult of Yoruba Twins. Milan: 5 Continents Editions. CHF 4 000 / 8 000 Weight in grams: 532 Condition: The condition (possible wear, signs of use, tears, possible other impairments and the signs of age etc.) of this lot can be seen in the photos we have uploaded for your documentation. If you have any questions about this item, please do not hesitate to contact Hammer Auctions ([email protected]). The information regarding the condition of the items provided for the convenience of interested parties is an opinion only and should not be treated as a statement of fact. Hammer Auctions accepts no responsibility for any errors or omissions. In the rare event that the item does not match the description in the catalog, Hammer Auctions is here to help. Buyers may return the lot for a full refund provided they notify Hammer Auctions within 5 days of receiving the lot.

Automatically translated by DeepL. The original version is the only legally valid version.
To see the original version, click here.

59 
Go to lot
<
>

A Yoruba Pair of Twin Figures, "ere ibeji"

Estimate 4 000 - 8 000 CHF
Starting price 3 000 CHF

* Not including buyer’s premium.
Please read the conditions of sale for more information.

Sale fees: 26 %
Leave bid
Register

For sale on Saturday 29 Jun : 15:00 (CEST)
basel, Switzerland
Hammer Auktionen AG
+41444000220
Browse the catalogue Sales terms Sale info

Delivery to
Change delivery address
Delivery is not mandatory.
You may use the carrier of your choice.
The indicated price does not include the price of the lot or the auction house's fees.