The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of March 28, 2024

Twin Figure (Ère Ìbejì)

Twin Figure (Ère Ìbejì)

late 1800s–early 1900s
Location: not on view

Did You Know?

This figure commemorates a twin that has died in infancy.

Description

Such a figure is carved when a twin dies in infancy and serves as a memorial to the surviving sibling. These twin figures are always carved to look like adult individuals with idealized physical features. Various body adornments suggest the care parents devote to their children, while the erosion of facial features indicates the symbolic washing and feeding of the figure as a means to connect the soul of the deceased to that of the living twin.
  • {{cite web|title=Twin Figure (Ère Ìbejì)|url=false|author=|year=late 1800s–early 1900s|access-date=28 March 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/2016.9