Dogon Seated Maternity Figure

Three inches tall, and a whole family fits.

Dogon smiths, a distinct group in Dogon society, made this iron maternity figure in Mali in the 20th century. Small figures of mothers and children reflect the enduring importance of fertility and lineage. The woman sits upright on a four-legged stool, her long face and narrow features rendered with economy. A child is held close against her side, and her free arm rests on her knee. The surface is dark and earthy, with patches of greenish and reddish encrustation settling into the recesses.

A weathered, almost archaeological presence. The child does not seem to mind.