Malian Figure of Crouching Male with Snake on Head & Back

Arms folded over knees, he looks like someone waiting patiently for news.

This figure of a crouching male with snake on head and back comes from Mali, West Africa, and dates to the early 20th century. It is bronze, attributed to the Djenne people, and 100 years or more in age. Small bronzes from the inland Niger Delta region often show seated or kneeling figures, and the snake is a widely recurring motif in West African art. The figure sits hunched with forearms resting across the knees. The face is long and narrow, with large eyes and a ridge running up over the head. Green and dark patina covers the surface. It is 1.5 inches wide and 3.5 high.

Patience, cast in metal.