Dogon Seated Female Figure

Knees up, hands on her knees. She has been waiting, composed, for rather a long time.

Dogon smiths in Mali made small metal figures for shrines and personal use, and their upright poses echo the larger wooden sculpture of the region. This one was cast in the 20th century and stands four inches tall. Her arms are long. The head is tall and narrow, with a long nose, a defined brow and a pointed crest, the ears flat crescents. Small pointed breasts mark the slender torso. A necklace appears in low relief.

Rust, ochre and gray mottle the dark surface. Warm, and aged. Not unlike a good armchair.