Dogon Ceramic Vessel, Mali

Red below, cream above, with a collar like a gentleman’s shirt.

Dogon potters of Mali, West Africa, made this terra cotta jar in the 20th century. Everyday clay vessels in the region are often used for water, grain or brewing, and are slipped or burnished to seal the surface. The lower body is a deep brick red, while the shoulder is a pale buff painted with short dark dashes in a loose band.

About sixteen inches tall and wide. Handsome, a little weathered. Lives well on a floor or a wide ledge, where the color can do the talking.