Dogon Kneeling Female Figure

Arms folded over a gridded chest, this figure holds its ground and its secrets.

This iron kneeling female figure is Dogon, from Mali, West Africa, and dates to the 20th century. Iron is shaped by forging, in which the metal is heated and hammered, and blacksmiths in West Africa have long held a special standing in their communities. Seated figure with a tall crested head, a long face and a banded neck. A grid-like pattern is incised across the chest, with arms folded across the front. Dark metal shows green and brown patina with a bulky base at the knees. It is 0.5 inches wide, 1 deep and 2.3 high.

A small figure with a very large presence.