Bronze Figures - Lobi, Banfora Region, Burkina Faso This pair of figures, cast in metal, depicts two slender male figures of nearly identical form. Long legs, narrow torsos, and disproportionately large heads define the vertical composition. Particularly expressive are the forward-pointing mouths, half-closed eyes, and incised hairstyles. Neck rings, bracelets, and finely modeled hands accentuate the bodies. While the left figure appears largely unclothed, the right figure bears a complex array of zoomorphic and amulet-like elements on its abdomen. The gray-brown, occasionally glossy patina lends both figures a restrained metallic density. The region around Banfora in southwestern Burkina Faso lies in a cultural contact zone of the Lobi, Gan, Birifor, and other ethnic groups. Accordingly, any precise ethnic attribution of metalwork from this area should be approached with caution. In the religious thought of the Lobi, thila - invisible spiritual powers - play a central role. Anthropomorphic figures can act as material intermediaries between these powers and people within shrines; these shrines contain not only wooden figures but also objects made of iron and brass. The unusual decorations on the figure on the right could point to a special ritual or protective significance, but without documented collection context, this cannot be determined with certainty. Literature (selection): Piet Meyer: Art and Religion of the Lobi, Zurich 1981. Daniela Bognolo: Lobi, Milan 2007. Adama Tomé: History, Art, Traditionnelles croyances chez les populations du sud-ouest du Burkina Faso: des Thila aux Bateba. Some of the information is generated by artificial intelligence and is based on published sources from the fields of ethnography, archaeology, and art history. Inv. No. MAZ24189 Height: 22 cm / 22 cm Weight: 500 g / 610 g