Ibeji: The Cult of Yoruba Twins (Hic Sunt Leones series) [Hardcover]

John Pemberton III (Author), John Picton (Author), Lamidi O. Fakeye (Author), George Chemeche (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 21, 2006 | Series: Hic Sunt Leones series

The ibeji were produced for mourning parents; the range of expressions achieved by Yoruba carvers is extraordinary, as shown in this book.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

John Pemberton III is the Crosby Professor of Religion, Emeritus, at Amherst College. He is the coauthor of Yoruba: Nine Centuries of African Art and Thought, Yoruba Art and Aesthetics, Yoruba Sacred Kingship, and Insight and Artistry in African Divination. He lives in Pelham, Massachusetts. John Picton is a reader in African art at the School of Oriental and African Studies of the University of London. He is the coauthor of El Anatsui: A Sculpted History of Africa. Lamidi O. Fakeye is a son of the House of Inurin in Ila-Orangun, Nigeria, a house famous for its carvers throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. George Chemeche is an artist whose work is in many museums, including the Guggenheim Museum, the Denver Art Museum, the Virginia Museum of Fine Art, and the Birmingham Museum of Art. He lives in New York City.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: 5 Continents Editions (November 21, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 8874390602
• ISBN-13: 978-8874390601
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 9.8 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,858,075 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Great, albeit overpriced, coffee-table book, June 17, 2007

By 

M. Hron - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ibeji: The Cult of Yoruba Twins (Hic Sunt Leones series) (Hardcover)

This is a great, albeit slightly overpriced, coffee-table book.

The pictures in it are great -- cover a broad variety of ibeji, from various regions in Nigeria and W. Africa.

However, as one commentator said, there is really a dearth of information in this book. So much more explanation could have been provided -- be it on the Ibeji cult, Yoruba art or culture, or on the differences between the various figures from an art-historian's or cultural anthropologist's perspective.

Sadly though, as is the case with many art books, text is minimal so that translation is easy, and no changes have to be made as far as image size/text length is concerned.

So if you are looking for information about Ibeji, or Yoruba art, skip this book.

If however, you would like to give a twin or an (West)African art lover a great gift, this book makes for an impressive coffee table expense.

5.0 out of 5 stars Everything is There, May 2, 2007

By 

Alana Smith - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ibeji: The Cult of Yoruba Twins (Hic Sunt Leones series) (Hardcover)

For those of us who have ever had any interest in Ebeji or have ever seen one, this book is astounding and awe inspiring. I never new that there were so many varieties and types of sub tribes. African Art is a unique and powerfull thing. It has become so popular among art collectors and the prices they claim are breath catching. However, until now there has never been a book that has so thoroughly addressed the Ebeji of the Yoruba Tribe. If you are interested in these remarkable and beautiful peices, you should buy this book. It covers everything about them as well as it shows you the infinite creativitly of the African people.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent and thorough, March 27, 2007

By 

E. Rider (Oakland, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ibeji: The Cult of Yoruba Twins (Hic Sunt Leones series) (Hardcover)

An excellent book, which is thorough in its description of the ibeji twins tradition, and also presents a vast collection of images. Importantly, looking at the Ibejis can be as informative as reading about them, which is why the images play a central role in this book. I wrote this only because of the poor review by Marcos A. M. Oliveira "Marcos Arino", which happened to be the only review, which said "too many pictures." Highly recommended; most art collectors and dealers in the field use it as a reference.