Male Figure c. 18th century

This wooden male figure was made by a Dogon artist. The form is reductive. Details are suggested, rather than fully described. The wood's texture gives the figure its unique character. Notice how the natural grain and color variations create patterns on the surface. It speaks to the handwork involved. Given its scale, the artist likely used tools like axes and adzes to rough out the form. Finer carving tools would have been used for the details, demanding great skill and patience. Dogon figures such as this one were not made for casual viewing. They were important in ritual contexts. The figure would have had a social life of its own, handled and honored. The wood itself would have been chosen for its spiritual qualities, and the act of carving infused with symbolic meaning. Thinking about the material, the making, and the cultural context helps us to look beyond the figure's simple form, to see the layers of meaning it holds.