The painting is a two dimensional representation of one of several types of paired anthropomorphic faces that are carved in low relief in large numbers on major longitudinal side beams in men’s houses. The paired face depicted here is the one named me maka. As in the carved originals, the two faces reflect each other across a horizontal mirror line, and touch their chins. The two faces are highly stylised and heart-shaped outlined in white and given a pair of black eyes and large black nose. A serpentine yellow line outlines the nose, the coiled end of the line enclose the two eyes. The black roundel outlined in red and yellow between the eyes represents the figure’s ‘makabe’ (forehead).