Pair of Edan sculptures. Yoruba culture, Nigeria, 20th century

Pair of Edan sculptures. Yoruba culture, Nigeria, 20th century.
Bronze. On a wooden base.
Measurements: 31.5 x 7 x 46 cm.

Pair of Edan Ogboni ritual figures, belonging to the artistic tradition of the Yoruba people of Nigeria, cast in bronze using the lost-wax casting technique. They depict two anthropomorphic figures, male and female, characterized by their stylized bodies, heads with pronounced proportions, and faces with hieratic expressions. Notable features include the elaborate conical headdresses, the facial incisions, and the symbolic attributes they hold in their hands—elements that reflect the profound spiritual significance of these representations.

The Edan sculptures are closely linked to the Ogboni society, a traditional Yoruba institution of a religious, political, and judicial nature, whose members played an important role in preserving social order, administering justice, and worshiping the earth, personified by the deity Onilé. Usually conceived as a male and female pair, these figures symbolize the complementarity of the masculine and feminine principles, cosmic balance, and spiritual authority. Their use was reserved for specific ceremonial contexts, in which they served as emblems of belonging, legitimacy, and power. Anatomical stylization, the geometric treatment of forms, and the expressive intensity of the faces are characteristic features of Yoruba ritual sculpture. Due to their symbolic power and unique formal language, these pieces represent an intriguing manifestation of the West African sculptural tradition, whose artistic and cultural value has sparked considerable interest among collectors of African art.