Dogon Seated Figure, Mali, Based

Tall, thin figure with a pointed head and no interest in standing straight.

This seated figure of forged metal on a base is Dogon, from Mali, West Africa, and dates to the 20th century. The Dogon people live on the Bandiagara plateau and escarpment in central Mali, and they are widely known for their sculpture, architecture and masked ceremonies. Narrow figure with an elongated body curves slightly, with a sharp-peaked head and a small, pared-down face. A coil or knot twists around the base. The grey-brown surface is rough and crusty, mounted on a black block. It is 0.5 inches wide, 1 deep and 3 high.

Gaunt and graceful, with a lot of lean.