Female figure
Mali, Dogon
not available anymore
Provenance
Charles Ratton, Paris, FranceMerton Simpson, New York, USA
Derek Eithof, The Hague, The Netherlands
Philippe Ratton, Paris, France
Begium Private Collection
Yann Ferrandin, Paris, France
Size
H: 26 cm
H: 10.2 inch
Description
wood, dark brown patina, encrusted in some areas, depicted in a rather seated posture (extremely short leg zone), the upper part of the body lengthened with the arms carved close to the body, helmet-shaped head, the facial features reduced to a notched mouth, slightly dam., traces of old age and weathering (feet), rep. (right foot), base;
the Dogon placed male and female figures on altars, which mostly were dedicated to ancestors, either of real or of mythical origin. The figurative sculpture is called “dege” and was used to be poured with ritual liquids. Such sacrificial materials were looked upon as vehicles for “nyama”, the vital force that determines a persons mental and physical well-being and allows a person to live at all.