Malian Standing Male Figure with Bucket on Back

Hooded figure whose long arms loop out and back like a pair of handles.

This standing male figure with a bucket on his back is from Segou, Mali, West Africa, and dates to the early 20th century. It is bronze. Segou, on the Niger River in Mali, was the center of a major kingdom, and the surrounding region has a long tradition of metalwork. Pictured, a tall, narrow figure with a cone-shaped cap and a smooth face, from which two long arms swing outward in elegant loops, meeting at the hips. Fine lines wrap the torso. The finish is dark and slightly matte. It is 1.25 inches wide, 0.75 deep and 4.25 high.

Arms like handles, though nobody is brave enough to lift it.