Dogon Warrior Riding Feline

The rider is tall, thin and tipped forward, and the cat beneath him looks unbothered.

This warrior riding feline is Dogon, from Mali, West Africa, and dates to the 20th century. It is bronze. Riders on animals are a familiar motif in Dogon casting, usually linked to status and power. A slender figure in a long, tapered form sits upright above a lean cat, a short rod in front of him and a bird-like crest on his head. The cat lies low, ears back and tail curled, its body pierced by an open space below the belly. The surface is dark with green patina. It is 3 inches wide and 3.25 high.

A stern rider and a very patient cat.