Pair of female figures, Bateba, Lobi people, Burkina Faso Wood Height 66 and 59 cm (+ 1 cm with stand) The Lobi are an agrarian people residing in southwest Burkina Faso, northern Ivory Coast, and northwest Ghana. The current population ranges between three and six hundred thousand, depending on sources. Men in the community engage in wood carving, iron forging, and copper smelting, while the women specialize in pottery. Lobi society is subservient to the thila (singular thil), invisible guardian genies who convey their demands through diviners and sorcerers. The thil dictate prohibitions and require the carving of bateba, wooden figures, for the village or household sanctuary. Failure to comply with these orders may lead to calamities such as epidemics or drought affecting the village, and an individual's fault can impact the entire community. In divination, bateba play a crucial role by conveying answers from the thila to the diviner. They not only reveal the reasons why the individual sought consultation but also provide prescriptions for resolving the identified problem. The carving of a bateba may be one of these prescriptions. The form and expression of Lobi statues are not arbitrary decisions made by the sculptor; rather, they are manifestations of the will of the thila. These beings, sent to earth by the gods to protect humanity from hunger, disease, and suffering, determine the statue's form. Through the diviner, they specify the shape, size, gender, and attitude of the statue to be sculpted. These 'objects' serve as 'receptacles' for forces intended to release their energy on behalf of humanity. These sculpture depicts two standing female figure on sturdy legs. They are clearly the work of the same sculptor. The well-detailed heads are slightly tilted back, with the gaze projected far towards the horizon. The overall impression is one of great serenity. Evidence of their age is apparent through the development of a smooth patina on a very hard wood. For display purposes, the figures are mounted on metal stands.