Bejeweled Female Figure
Dogon, Mali
Bronze
Mid 20th century

While not a classic Dogon design, this is still a very distinctive sculpture. The posture is rigid, yet there is motion in the arms. The head seems proportionally small. There are a few other known pieces in this unusual style. 

The 250,000 Dogon people live on a large plateau, with most of the villages situated on cliffs. According to oral tradition, they settled in the area in the 14th/15th century after escaping the Mande kingdom and being led there by a snake. Dogon livelihood is based on agriculture concentrated in fields at the edge of the cliff, where water is scarce, but enough for occasional irrigation. Dogon art is extremely versatile, although common aesthetic characteristics, such as a tendency towards stylization, are apparent (Bacquart, The Tribal Arts of Africa, 1998). 

5 in :: 13 cm

InventoryID #13-2726

Price on Request