Sumba Double-Sided Ancestor Figure

Sumba Double-Sided Ancestor Figure
21.5 cm (8.5 inches)

An extremely unusual double-sided sitting male ancestor or guardian figure from the island of Sumba, Indonesia  The carving has wonderfully stylized faces with a bun hairstyle.   The figures are symmetrically carved back-to-back and share the same torso and head but have their own faces, arms and legs.  They sit looking straight ahead with their hands resting on their knees.  Collected in Sumba in the late 1980s, it is carved in hardwood and has the rich golden patina of age and use.  The condition is very good.