Standing figure of a hermaphrodite · Mali, Dogon · ID: 3035985
Robert Jacobsen, Copenhagen, Denmark
Description
wood, encrusted greyish brown patina, male characteristics (beard) and female (breasts, accentuated navel, the gesture of the hands resting on the abdomen in a protective manner), slightly dam., minor missing parts, cracks (right side of the body, left side of the head), block-like base;
possibly representing a figure of the “vageu” type, which was placed on family altars. Sacrificial liquids were poured on the figural sculptures: including the blood of chickens, sheep, and goats, millet porridge, mixtures of various fruit and plant juices etc. These sacrificial materials are vehicles for “nyama”, the vital force that determines a persons mental and physical well-being.
The object Standing figure of a hermaphrodite with the object ID 3035985 was last part of the auction 75th tribal art auction at November 30, 2013 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house and had the lot number 247.
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