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Yoruba people Nigeria (Western Africa) TWIN (IBEJI) FIGURES, 20th century Wood, pigment Height 10 1/4 inches Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Vincent Bolling, Jr., 1975.63a-b
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These small sculptures depict two identical human figures. The wooden bodies are weathered brown and the hair is faded blue. Both sculptures have a round base about one inch high. The feet are large and flat, with grooves cut into the front to distinguish toes. The legs are short, thick and spread slightly apart. The bodies are narrow with long thick arms that extend almost to the ankles. The shoulders are sloped and their necks are very thick. Two exaggerated breasts protrude straight out from the torso of each figure. Their large heads are almost as tall as the rest of their bodies. The faces have a flat nose shaped like a downward pointing triangle, along with big, heavily lidded eyes, each with a small hole in the center. The mouth is a deep horizontal slit. The ears are large recessed triangles that point backward from the sides of the head. The cheeks are carved with four rows of short horizontal lines. Their heads are topped by a tall, tapering crown of hair that has been painted blue and incised with many thin vertical grooves.
