Dogon Forged Iron Royal Couple

A king and a queen, or something near it, in forged iron and rust.

Paired male and female figures recur in Dogon art, often understood to evoke balance and the founding ancestors. This royal couple, forged by a Dogon smith of Mali in the 20th century, stands on a single rectangular base, seven and a half inches tall. The figure on the left wears a tall, leaf-shaped headdress and holds a staff. The other has long, twisted braids falling to the shoulders. Both have elongated limbs ending in rounded hands.

Russet rust, a dark, crusty surface.

Side by side, upright, and unhurried about it.