Dogon Standing Female Figure

Figure with raised, bent arms and a topknot looks wonderfully poised.

This standing female figure in bronze is Dogon, from Mali, West Africa, and dates to the 20th century. The Dogon people live in central Mali, and their figurative sculpture includes standing and seated figures that are generally linked with ancestors and ritual. Look closely and a long, slender figure with arms bent sharply up to the chest and a crosshatched mark between the breasts. Ridges circle the waist and ankles. The head is narrow with a pointed top, and the finish is golden with dark traces. It is 1.5 inches wide, 1.25 deep and 6.25 high.

Pointed head, angular elbows, ample dignity.