Malian Seated Female Figure

A long-nosed face in verdigris, with a body drawn in a few confident strokes.

This seated female figure from the Djenne people is from Mali, West Africa, and dates to the 20th century. It is bronze. Djenne in the inland Niger delta of Mali is a historic trading town, known for its mud-brick architecture and for terra cotta figures made by earlier communities nearby. Slim cast figure with a large oval head, a ridged nose running down its length, and a narrow body with small raised chest marks. One bent leg folds out at the base, with blue-green encrustation over a dark ground. It is 2 inches wide, 1 deep and 1 high.

Bold features, minimal fuss, maximum character.