Dogon Standing Female Figure Holding Vessel

Figure balancing a tall vessel on its head with unbothered calm.

This standing female figure holding a vessel is Dogon, from Mali, West Africa, and dates to the 19th century. It is bronze. Among Dogon communities in Mali, small cast figures are often said to relate to ancestors, fertility and the daily life of the village. Slender standing figure with a tall narrow vessel or spout rising from the head, one arm lifted to steady it. The body is lean with a thin waist band and long legs. The surface is dark and lightly pitted. It is 0.75 inches wide, 1 deep and 5 high.

Hands-on approach to carrying things, practiced and unhurried.