Dogon Iron Maternity Figure

The baby has its own small arm wrapped round the mother, which is how it should be.

Dogon smiths of Mali, West Africa, made this maternity figure in iron in the early 20th century. Dogon mothers with children are commonly associated with fertility and the continuation of family lines. The mother sits upright on a low stool with a pointed hairstyle and a long narrow face, cradling a child at her breast with both arms. Her feet are flat, wide and set in front. The surface is black and glossy, with slight pitting.

About 4 inches tall. Dense, graphic, and happily maternal.