Dogon Male Figure with Vessel on Back

Hand on its head and body stretched thin, caught in a very long pause.

This Dogon iron male figure carrying a vessel on its back is Dogon, from Mali, West Africa, and dates to the 20th century. Figures bearing a vessel or load on the back appear in Dogon sculpture, and such images are often read as connected to burden, water or ancestry. Tall, slender figure with one arm bent up over the head and a narrow elongated body. The legs are fused into a thin shaft that ends on a small round base. The dark metal surface is rough and uneven. It is 1 inches wide, 1 deep and 4 high.

Long, thoughtful figure, built from almost nothing.