Dogon, Mali: three forged iron figures of the Dogon, from the Bandiagara Escarpment in eastern Mali.
1: A proportionally large figure, forged in iron. The elongated head shows a well-formed face with eyes, nose, mouth and beard. The thin arms, with their outspread hands, are raised in a gesture of praying for rain. On his chest the man displays geometric line decoration, which probably depicts decorative scarification marks. This figure was probably once an altar piece from a house altar.
Height: 27 cm.
2: An additional, typical ‘long’ figure of the Dogon, forged in iron. It shows a man with bent-over body. His arms and hands are brought together behind his back. This probably is a representation of a prisoner. Especially remarkable in this figure is the exceptionally fine and accomplished composition of the face, with eyes, long, narrow nose and mouth. The masterfully forged head sits on a long neck.
Height: 23.5 cm.
3: A rider sitting on his horse, forged of iron. The rider shows the typical proportions of the iron Dogon figures: long head with eyes, long, narrow nose and mouth, with long body and short legs. The rider holds the (not preserved) reins of his horse, and with his right hand he once held a lance (missing). The rider figure is riveted to the back of the horse.
Height: 17 cm; length: 12.5 cm.

All three forged iron objects: First half of the 20th century. (ME)

Provenance: South African private collection.

Lit.: ‘Erde und Erz’ by K.-F. Schädler, ill. 103 (figure with raised arms),105 (a prisoner).