Lot Essay
Le culte yoruba des jumeaux est profondément lié au culte de Sango, qui a joué un rôle central dans la culture de l'ancien Oyo. En effet, « Sango est connu comme le protecteur des ibeji, qui sont si étroitement associés à lui qu'on les appelle les « enfants du tonnerre » […] Dans cette portion du Yorubaland autrefois sous l'influence de l'Empire Oyo, les jumeaux, vivants ou décédés, étaient appelés emi alagbara (esprits puissants), capables d'apporter des richesses à leurs parents et du malheur à ceux qui ne les honorent pas » Pemberton, J. et al., Yoruba. Nine Centuries of African Art and Thought, New York, 1989, p. 170.
Les sculptures d'ibeji, bien que nombreuses, varient considérablement dans la qualité de leur sculpture. Ces oeuvres permettent souvent d’identifier non seulement des styles régionaux individuels, mais aussi des ateliers spécifiques de sculpteurs dans une ville particulière. Dans certains cas, elles témoignent des compétences exceptionnelles de l'atelier d'un artiste. Les traces d'une utilisation multigénérationnelle, visibles dans leur patine dense et nourrie, contribuent davantage à leur attrait esthétique et les élèvent au rang de chefs-d'œuvre de leur propre style. Tel est le cas de notre lot, qui se présente comme un superbe exemple du style igbomina.
The Yoruba cult of twins is deeply intertwined with the Sango cult, which played a central role in Old Oyo culture. Indeed, “Sango is known as the protector of ibeji, who are identified so closely with him that they have been called the “children of thunder” […] Throughout that portion of Yorubaland once under the influence of the Oyo Empire, twins, both living and dead, are referred to as emi alagbara (powerful spirits), who are capable of bringing riches to their parents and misfortune to those who do not honor them” Pemberton, J. et al., Yoruba. Nine Centuries of African Art and Thought, New York, 1989, p. 170.
Ibeji figures, while numerous, vary significantly in the quality of their carving. These figures can often provide a means for identifying not only individual regional styles but also specific workshops of carvers in a particular town. In some cases, they showcase the exceptional skills of an artist's workshop. The traces of multigenerational use, visible in their dense and nourished patina, further contribute to their aesthetic appeal and elevate them to masterpieces of their own style. Such is the case with our present lot, which stands as a splendid example of the Igbomina style.
Les sculptures d'ibeji, bien que nombreuses, varient considérablement dans la qualité de leur sculpture. Ces oeuvres permettent souvent d’identifier non seulement des styles régionaux individuels, mais aussi des ateliers spécifiques de sculpteurs dans une ville particulière. Dans certains cas, elles témoignent des compétences exceptionnelles de l'atelier d'un artiste. Les traces d'une utilisation multigénérationnelle, visibles dans leur patine dense et nourrie, contribuent davantage à leur attrait esthétique et les élèvent au rang de chefs-d'œuvre de leur propre style. Tel est le cas de notre lot, qui se présente comme un superbe exemple du style igbomina.
The Yoruba cult of twins is deeply intertwined with the Sango cult, which played a central role in Old Oyo culture. Indeed, “Sango is known as the protector of ibeji, who are identified so closely with him that they have been called the “children of thunder” […] Throughout that portion of Yorubaland once under the influence of the Oyo Empire, twins, both living and dead, are referred to as emi alagbara (powerful spirits), who are capable of bringing riches to their parents and misfortune to those who do not honor them” Pemberton, J. et al., Yoruba. Nine Centuries of African Art and Thought, New York, 1989, p. 170.
Ibeji figures, while numerous, vary significantly in the quality of their carving. These figures can often provide a means for identifying not only individual regional styles but also specific workshops of carvers in a particular town. In some cases, they showcase the exceptional skills of an artist's workshop. The traces of multigenerational use, visible in their dense and nourished patina, further contribute to their aesthetic appeal and elevate them to masterpieces of their own style. Such is the case with our present lot, which stands as a splendid example of the Igbomina style.