01 - 09 OCTOBER 2021: Ibeji Auction - Dr. Leroy Collection

01 > 09 October 2021

The Ibeji collection from Dr. Leroy [Catawiki]

AUCTION CLOSES IN:

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Ends Saturday 9th October from 18:00 CEST onwards

Galerie Guerrin presents this online auction composed of 43 lots of Yoruba Ibeji figures (twins and triplets) from the collection of Doctor Fernand Leroy. If you have any questions do not hesitate to contact us.

15
Lots
13
with NO RESERVE Price

AUCTION PUBLISHED IN:

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About Yoruba people and Ibeji Art

Yoruba people form a large ethnic group which mainly occupies the southwest of Nigeria.

For genetic reasons, this ethnic group has the highest twinning rate in the world, i.e. one in 20 pregnancies!

The high perinatal mortality of this group, mainly due to the frequency of premature deliveries, has prompted the emergence of a cult where deceased twins are symbolized by wooden effigies called “Ibeji”.

On this general theme these statuettes present a stylistic diversity which reflects their varying regional origin.

The collection’s History

Fernand Leroy is doctor of medicine, surgery and childbirth. He was a research fellow at the FNRS, head of clinic in assisted procreation at the Saint-Pierre hospital in Brussels and also professor of obstetrical gynecology at the ULB of Brussels.

He has published extensively on twinning and he is the author of the book “Les jumeaux dans tous leurs états” (DeBoeck Université).

He is the father of monozygotic twins himself. This is how he came to study the social and cultural aspects of twinning in Africa and among the Yorubas in particular.

For more than 30 years and during his many travels, Doctor Leroy has been able to bring together a nice collection of pairs of Ibeji a selection of which is presented in this auction.