Dogon Kneeling Figure with Arms Raised

Both arms straight up, holding a small flat platform with great conviction.

This kneeling figure with arms raised is Dogon, from Mali, West Africa, and dates to the 20th century, in forged metal. The raised-arm figure is one of the best known images in Dogon art, often interpreted as a gesture of prayer or an appeal for rain, though explanations differ. The arms are long and ringed with bands at the wrists, meeting overhead at a flat square. The head is a narrow, ridged oval tucked between them. A banded torso narrows to bent legs below. The metal is dark and lightly worn. It is 1 inch wide and 5 high.

An old gesture, cast in a form built to hold it.