Dogon Seated Male Ancestor Figure Holding Jug

Potbellied seated figure with a spiral belly and one hand raised to its side.

This seated male ancestor figure holding a jug is Dogon, from Mali, West Africa, and dates to the 20th century. It is bronze. Seated figures in Dogon art are generally read as references to elders and ancestors, whose memory is thought to remain important to the living community. Rounded torso carries a delicate spiral motif and two ridged, leaf-like forms near the shoulders, topped by a long neck and a narrow, pointed head. One leg extends out in front. The warm brown surface is glossy. It is 1.5 inches wide, 2.25 deep and 3.5 high.

Round belly, long neck, and no hurry at all.