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Female Ancestor Figure

Dogon

Artwork Details

Female Ancestor Figure
1900-1971
Dogon
carved wood, patination, blood, millet, egg shell
25 15/16 in x 4 3/16 in x 4 1/16 in (65.8 cm x 10.7 cm x 10.4 cm)
Museum Purchase assisted by the Friends of the Museum of Art
1971/2.24

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Description

Little is known about this particular object. It may have been a shrine figure of a family ancestor or a representation of the mother of the Dogon people. Unlike masks, Dogon statuary is kept on family altars or in a special shrine and never paraded publicly. It was traditionally made by the village blacksmith who claimed direct descent from the legendary primordial blacksmith. In ancient times, this mythic figure brought animals, grain, and technology to earth.

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