Bambara Standing Male Figure with Pointed Belly

A tall thin figure with a pot belly, standing at attention in miniature.

Bambara metalworkers of Mali, West Africa, made this standing male figure in iron in the 20th century. Small iron figures from Mali are often associated with protection or ritual use, though meanings vary between communities. The body is long and narrow, the head crowned with a small crest, and the belly swells forward in a rounded point. Short legs end in broad feet. The surface is dark and slightly pitted, with traces of earthy tone in the hollows.

About five inches tall. Pocket-sized, with the dignity of something much larger.