Dogon Bronze Seated Figure

Straight back, hands on knees, an air of having been asked to wait.

This seated figure was cast in bronze by Dogon makers of Mali, West Africa. Seated and standing figures are among the best-known forms in Dogon art and are often associated with ancestors and with ritual life. The figure sits upright on a round stool with hands resting near the lap and a tall topknot of hair. The limbs are long, angular and flat-sided, and the feet turn out at the base. The brown bronze is finely textured with a slightly bright, rubbed surface.

About four inches tall. A quiet presence on a bookshelf, and a good listener.