Dogon Standing Male Figure

The wax is lost. The man remains.

Dogon smiths made figures like this one by the lost-wax technique, for household and ceremony. Mali, 20th century, bronze. He stands frontally, legs straight, feet apart, forearms raised before his chest, hands open. A crested coiffure rises above an elongated face with small rounded ears, a pointed beard and a slightly open mouth. A short apron at the waist, bands at the ankles. The brown-black patina has worn to a warm glow on the high points.

Just over six inches, on a black base. Hands up, but not in surrender.