Dogon Ancestral Figure | Female

A tall crested head, arms hanging long, and knees bent as if about to rise.

This female ancestral figure is Dogon, from Sangha Village in the Mopti Region of Mali, West Africa, and dates to the early 20th century. It is wood. Dogon figures of ancestors are generally thought to have been kept in family or community shrines, though their precise meanings are debated. This one stands with bent knees on a round base, her long arms falling at her sides. Her head has a high crest with incised lines and a pair of long side lappets. The breasts are full and pointed, and bands of incised rings circle the arms. It is 20 inches high.

Stillness, with a hint of motion held in reserve.