The Master of the Vanished Chins

Within the rich and complex world of Yoruba ibeji, a small corpus of approximately fifteen statuettes can be distinguished, seemingly originating from the same workshop, or perhaps even the hand of a single master.

Until now, these works — although sporadically illustrated in specialized literature and various auction catalogues — have not been the subject of a dedicated study nor of a stylistic grouping under a coherent designation.

Here, we seek, with due scholarly caution, to shed light on this dispersed corpus by identifying a number of ibeji figures that exhibit clear formal and iconographic affinities.

The analysis of these recurring features — notably the stylized fusion of nostrils and lips, the presence of large almond-shaped eyes, and the near absence of a chin — allows us to confidently situate their origin within the Igbomina cultural sphere, more specifically in the region of Ila Orangun, during a period reasonably framed between the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
In order to propose a stylistic attribution, we suggest grouping these works under the designation of the "The Master of the Vanished Chins," in homage to the distinctive feature that consistently characterizes the entire ensemble.

The ibeji attributed to the "Master of the Vanished Chins" display a remarkably consistent set of stylistic characteristics.

Among these distinctive features, one notes in particular, across the faces of the statuettes, a pronounced fusion of the nostrils and lips, as well as an almost complete absence of a chin, giving the facial oval a singular silhouette.
The mouth is rendered full and prominent, while the nose is intentionally broad, enhancing the expressiveness of the figures.
The carving of the eyes is notably deep, and the upper eyelids are treated with particular care; the detailed modeling of the eyelashes serves to intensify the gaze and endow it with a striking presence.

Some examples produced by this workshop — or master — also feature a labret, an ornamental element that points to the considerable antiquity of these ibeji, although the overall production appears to date from before the 1930s.

Another distinctive feature lies in the sculpting of a raised ridge encircling the neck, resembling a collar: this unique detail, absent in other stylistic schools, appears consistently across nearly all the figures gathered in the corpus presented here.

While the faces exhibit a high degree of stylistic coherence, adhering to precise and consistently applied formal codes, the same cannot be said for the coiffures, which display a remarkable diversity.

These headdresses appear variously as elaborate crowns, caps, or as four majestic loops arranged around a central disk — a configuration emblematic of the well-known ibeji associated with the Inurin compound at Ila Orangun.

This diversity of hairstyles, far from being merely decorative, reflects the ritual and social significance attributed to coiffure in Yoruba culture, where it often serves as a marker of status, lineage identity, or cultic affiliation.

Among the most revealing elements of the "Master of the Vanished Chins" corpus, the singular stylization of the tirah (Islamic amulets) distinctly departs from the canon generally observed within Igbomina ibeji production.

Whereas conventional representations favor a downward-pointing triangle, the Master introduces a notable stylistic inversion: the triangle points upward, consciously breaking established iconographic norms.

On the reverse side, the deviation is equally striking, as the tirah adopts a rectangular form rather than repeating the triangular motif.
Finely carved and proportionally balanced within the composition, these elements attest to particular symbolic care.

The consistent recurrence of this morphological singularity thus constitutes a major attribution criterion, allowing a number of ibeji to be confidently linked to the workshop of the Master of the Vanished Chins.

The attribution of these ibeji to the "Master of the Vanished Chins" is based on a careful observation of a set of recurring stylistic features which, taken individually, might appear anecdotal, but together delineate the coherent profile of a distinct workshop.

Beyond general proportions or facial treatment, these features include secondary sculptural elements—such as the stylization of Islamic amulets (tirah)—as well as more subtle details like the morphology of the gaze and the configuration of hairstyles.

The cross-analysis of these formal nuances, consciously diverging from dominant Igbomina aesthetic norms, establishes robust attribution criteria and frames a precise stylistic identity for this long-overlooked workshop.