Dogon Seated Female Figure with Arms Upraised, Based

Figure leaning on a slim rod, as if waiting patiently for a late bus.

This seated female figure with arms upraised in forged metal, on a base is Dogon, from Mali, West Africa, and dates to the 20th century. Raised arms are among the most recognized gestures in Dogon art, and researchers have proposed several readings, such as supplication or a call for rain. Thin, tilted figure with a long face and bent limbs rests against a dark upright rod, mounted on a black plinth. A small ring and a rounded form sit at the lower end. The surface is patchy green-brown and crusty. It is 1 inches wide, 1.5 deep and 4 high.

Casual lean, long wait, and not one complaint.