Dogon Bronze Seated Male

Bronze, a seated man, and four inches of quiet. The Dogon peoples of Mali have a long metalworking tradition, and small cast figures were kept for personal and ritual purposes.

This one dates to the 20th century. He sits upright on bent knees, blocky feet planted. His hands join in front of him around a pointed, oval object. The head is rounded with a small crest, the face compact, the shoulders squared. The surface is rough and dark brown, scattered with bright turquoise-green encrustation that gathers in the hollows.

A little color in a dark corner. Some men do that.