Pair of seated anthropomorphic figures

Title: Pair of Seated Anthropomorphic Figures
Population of Origin: West Africa, likely Yoruba area (Nigeria)
Date: 20th century (post-1950)
Material: Carved and polychromed wood (red, black, white, ochre)
Dimensions: Male figure h. 31 x 11 x 10 cm; female figure h. 31 x 11 x 9 cm
Iconography: The male-female pair evokes the concept of complementarity and fertility, central to West African cosmologies. The male, wearing a headdress and with a rigid posture, may represent authority, protection, and the continuity of the lineage. The female, bare-chested with prominent breasts, embodies motherhood, nourishment, and abundance.
Symbolic Function and Context: These figures may have been used on domestic or community altars as protective presences. In ancestor commemorative rites, the couple represents the mythical founders of a clan or village. As part of a ceremonial outfit associated with local secret societies or brotherhoods.