Ibedji Yoruba, Nigeria, Late 19th – Early 20th Century.

Female Ibeji presented nude, standing on a circular pedestal, resting on powerful and disproportionate feet. The arms are detached from the body, the hands resting on the hips, the shoulders straight. The face displays a gentle expression, with a gaze accentuated by raised eyes. The forehead is surmounted by a skullcap-shaped headdress, with hair drawn by regular furrows. Presence of scarifications on the edge of the ear and on the lower part of the cheek. Wood, old red and brown patina, thick trace of natural ochre and indigo pigment, yellow and black beads, metal rings on one arm. Yoruba, Nigeria, late 19th – early 20th century. Dimensions: 28 × 8 cm. Provenance: old collection from the south of France, built up from the 1980s. Sold with a certificate of authenticity from the expert Serge Reynes. Guaranteed original and period. "Among the Yoruba, the Ibeji embody the spiritual power of twins, considered to be chosen beings. When a twin died, the family would order a statuette intended to keep his spirit in the world of the living. Offered with food, washed, adorned with beads and pigments, these effigies ensured the balance of family destiny. In this example, the large feet, the hieratic posture and the scarifications testify to an ideal of strength and beauty, while the beads and metal rings recall the votive and protective function of the object." * Shipping costs on estimate.