Details:
- Attribution: Lobi peoples, Burkina Faso (attributed — see note)
- Material: Carved wood, weathered natural patina
- Height: approx. 69 cm
- Condition: Age-consistent wear, surface cracking/checking visible (see photos), stable structure
- Style: Bateba standing guardian figure
A large standing wood figure attributed to the Lobi peoples of Burkina Faso, carved in the Bateba tradition of protective/ancestral guardian figures. The figure stands at approximately 69 cm and displays a solid, columnar body with a rounded, protruding abdomen, arms bent with hands resting together at the belly, and short, sturdy legs ending in banded, block-like feet. The head features a long straight nose, deep-set eyes, pursed mouth, and prominent flaring ears set close to the skull. The surface shows an aged, weathered patina with visible cracking consistent with age and wood movement over time.
Bateba figures were traditionally created for personal or household shrines among the Lobi, believed to house protective spirits (thila) that guard against misfortune, illness, and evil forces. Poses and gestures on Bateba figures often carry specific symbolic meanings tied to their protective function.