Baule Bronze Figure of a Crocodile

Ridged back, long tail and a grin full of teeth.

This figure of a crocodile is Baule, from Ivory Coast, West Africa, and dates to the 20th century. It is bronze. Crocodiles are widely depicted in West African art, usually as emblems of power and the boundary between land and water. The body is covered in rows of raised plates, with a long tail marked by circular dots. The snout is narrow and open, with its teeth visible and round eyes set on top of the head. The surface carries a pale green patina over dark metal. It is 10 inches wide and 1 high.

Fierce in outline, friendly in scale.