Dogon Wood Ancestor Figure, Based

The wood has gone soft at the edges, but the long face still holds its line.

This ancestor figure is Dogon, from Mali in West Africa, and dates to the 20th century. It is carved wood. Ancestors play a central part in Dogon religious life, and carved figures are generally associated with family altars and shrines. Here a slender body with a long neck and upright head has arms that fall close to the sides. Most of the surface looks crusted and pale, with dark grey patches at the hips and chest. One foot is separate on the mount. It stands 35.5 inches high.

Its stillness is complete, and it asks for the same.