Dogon Seated Female Ancestor Figure with Internal Sacred Stone

Slender seated figure with crossed arms and a greenish, weathered coat.

This seated female ancestor figure in bronze with an internal sacred stone is Dogon, from Mali, West Africa, and dates to the 20th century. Lost-wax casting, in which a wax model is coated in clay, melted out and replaced with molten metal, is the usual way West African bronzes are made. Narrow standing-sitting figure with a pointed head, small bumpy eyes, and arms folded across the torso. Short bent legs fan out below. The surface is a mix of pale green crust and brown patches, uneven all over. It is 1.25 inches wide, 1.75 deep and 4.5 high.

Quiet pose, loud patina, no complaints.