Dogon Wood Seated Figure

Nearly four feet tall, sitting with hands joined between the knees, in no hurry whatsoever. The face is serene, with a long nose and closed lips.

Dogon artists in Mali carved this figure in the 19th century. Dogon carving is admired for its abstraction and calm, and figures of this kind were made for use in shrines and in honoring ancestors. The head is tall and crested, the torso columnar. The long arms come together in front, with flat panels falling on either side. The wood has weathered to soft silvery gray with dark patches, pale flecks and deep checks along the grain.

It does not so much occupy a room as preside.