Malian Figure of a Horned Animal

Four long legs, a lean level body, two horns bending in like a crescent.

Animal figures in metal were made in Mali for shrines and as personal objects, part of a long tradition of small-scale metal sculpture. This one was forged in iron in the 20th century and stands just over two inches tall. It stands squarely on its straight legs with rounded feet. The tail is short and upturned. The head is broad, with a blunt muzzle.

The surface is crusty and textured, mottled in brown and green. A small animal, standing its ground.