Female Figure (one of a pair) c. 1890

This pair of carved wooden figures, created by the Tabwa people of Central Africa around 1890, are examples of the rich artistic tradition of the region. The figures are stylized representations of human figures, with geometric features and exaggerated body proportions. They are thought to have been used in ceremonies and rituals, perhaps as representations of ancestors or deities. The figures are now part of the collection of the Minneapolis Institute of Art.