Malian Seated Male Figure in Prayer

A face striped like a mask and a body hunched into a deep, patient crouch.

This seated male figure in prayer is Djenne, from Mali, West Africa, and dates to the early 20th century. It is bronze. Djenne figures cast in bronze and brass are generally associated with the trading city of Djenne, and they often show seated, kneeling or mounted figures. He squats on bent legs with both forearms raised before the chest, hands open and splayed. Incised stripes cross the cheeks and brow. Fine texture marks the torso, and the dark surface is smooth with soft wear. It is 1 inch wide, 2 deep and 3 high.

Brief in height, long on concentration.