trophy bearer - Dogon - Mali
03
days
11
hours
38
minutes
14
seconds
Starting bid
€ 1
Reserve price not met
Expert
Selected by Julien Gauthier
A decade of experience in historical arms, armour, and African art.
Estimate € 150 - € 200
No bids placed
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Description from the seller
Country Mali
Dogon
Bois
Height: 415mm
Width: 110mm
Depth: 110mm
This wooden statuette, 41 cm tall, possesses remarkable iconography and plastic structure.
As the file names associated with it rightly indicate, its architectural style and its posture attribute it directly to the Dogon people, settled along the Bandiagara cliff in Mali (West Africa).
Here is the complete deciphering of its origin, its use, and its cosmological meaning:
1. Plastic deciphering: The Dogon aesthetics
The visual examination reveals the geometric, vertical canons that characterize the heart of cliff statuary:
The posture of the cup-bearing figure: The female figure stands upright, her legs slightly bent in a stable stance. Her two arms rise vertically, parallel to her elongated head, to support a container (a cup, jar, or bowl) placed directly on the crown of her head.
The geometrization of the body: The neck is long and cylindrical. The breasts are carved in a conical, aggressively projecting form. The elongated torso sits atop a prominent navel, a symbol of the link to ancestors and birth.
The hieratic face: The features are stretched in length. The nose is long and straight, the eyes are sketched in a light almond shape, and the mouth is marked by a simple horizontal incision.
2. Ritual use: The family altar and libations
Among the Dogon, a statuette of this nature never leaves the sacred frame of the family compound or the sanctuary of a neighborhood. It serves two major practical functions:
An intercessor on the altar of the Dege: Anthropomorphic statues (generically called Dege) are placed on family altars or in the niches of the houses of the elders (Togu na or Hogon’s house, the spiritual leader). They serve as a physical contact point between the world of the living and that of the ancestors.
The receptacle for offerings: The presence of the cup on top of the head is not merely symbolic. During agricultural rituals (to request rain or good harvests) or during funerals, the priest pours ritual liquids (millet beer, water, the blood of sacrificed animals) onto the statue. The upper cup is designed to symbolically collect part of these offerings in order to nourish the spirit that resides in the wood.
3. Cosmological significance: Fertility and the creation myth
The figure of the woman bearing a burden or a container on her head touches the foundations of Dogon mythological thought:
The allegory of water and life: In the bend of the Niger, water is the most precious resource. The woman carrying the jar or cup embodies the clan’s daily survival, the essential water task, but also the amniotic fluid. It is a celebration of feminine fertility and the continuity of the lineage.
The link between sky and earth: The raised arms that support the cup materialize a vertical axis. In Dogon cosmogony, this gesture recalls the role of Nommo (the mythical twin sent by the creator God Amma), who sustains the celestial vault or brings the holy word from the sky to humans. The bowl on the head also represents the primitive matrix, the ark containing the germs of the world necessary for the creation of the civilized universe.
The packages are sent from Monday to Saturday with insurance and tracking number.
Delivery in 1 to 3 days in France with Chronopost, 2 to 5 days across the European Union.
Delivery to the rest of Europe and worldwide with Colissimo international.
We speak english
Mask african art Afrikanische Maskenkunst arte de máscaras africanas arte delle maschere africane
statue african art Arte de estatuas africanas arte delle statue africane Afrikanische Maskenkunst
Máscara de estatua de galería de arte africano
Seller's Story
Passionate about World Arts and more specifically about African Art, we buy from collectors, former officials, military, health workers, public works staff who have worked in Africa and also in Côte d'Ivoire, from antique dealers and traders who roam across West Africa to find quality objects.
It is with pride that we present works that, beyond their power to beautify spaces, invite our collectors to resonate with the richness and depth of human expression through the most authentic art.
At Arts Ethniques Gallery, we have the privilege of offering our visitors an exclusive selection of artworks, all unique and original. Each piece presented is the outcome of a demanding artistic approach, driven by a singular vision and mastered craftsmanship, all elements that guarantee authenticity and value.
The works we offer are not industrial reproductions. They are individual creations, crafted with sensitivity and precision, each bearing its own story, identity and presence. Originality is the very foundation of our commitment to excellence. Thus, every mask and every statue in our collection is the subject of a rigorous selection, in order to preserve their rarity and singularity.
Acquiring a work from Arts Ethniques Gallery means owning a truly unique piece: a creation that embodies both talent, cultural memory and the expressive force of African art. It is also a lasting investment in a work whose artistic and emotional value transcends time.
We guarantee that every work leaving our gallery is an authentic piece, without replicas, bearing witness to the creativity, heritage and passion of the African artists who shaped them.
We invite you to participate in our gallery’s auctions with confidence. Each presented work is an original, unique and irreplaceable creation, selected with the greatest rigor to guarantee its authenticity and artistic value.
Whether you wish to enrich a personal collection or introduce an exceptional artwork into your space, Arts Ethniques Gallery offers a safe, transparent and professional setting to acquire remarkable pieces.
Art auctions are a privileged moment to discover rare works, capable of becoming the heart of a collection. Acquiring a work at our sales is not just buying an object: it is investing in a creation whose aesthetic value and cultural reach reinforce over time.
The pieces presented by Arts Ethniques Gallery testify not only to the talent and vision of the artists but also possess the ability to transform spaces and enrich the gaze of those who behold them.
Participating in our auctions is taking part in a singular experience, where the passion for art meets the rigors of collecting. Bidding on a work from Arts Ethniques Gallery goes beyond a simple transaction: it is a gesture of commitment and appreciation for art in its most authentic form.
We invite you to bid with passion and to join us in this adventure dedicated to discovery, transmission and celebration of art.
Perhaps your next heart piece is already waiting for you."
Translated by Google TranslateCountry Mali
Dogon
Bois
Height: 415mm
Width: 110mm
Depth: 110mm
This wooden statuette, 41 cm tall, possesses remarkable iconography and plastic structure.
As the file names associated with it rightly indicate, its architectural style and its posture attribute it directly to the Dogon people, settled along the Bandiagara cliff in Mali (West Africa).
Here is the complete deciphering of its origin, its use, and its cosmological meaning:
1. Plastic deciphering: The Dogon aesthetics
The visual examination reveals the geometric, vertical canons that characterize the heart of cliff statuary:
The posture of the cup-bearing figure: The female figure stands upright, her legs slightly bent in a stable stance. Her two arms rise vertically, parallel to her elongated head, to support a container (a cup, jar, or bowl) placed directly on the crown of her head.
The geometrization of the body: The neck is long and cylindrical. The breasts are carved in a conical, aggressively projecting form. The elongated torso sits atop a prominent navel, a symbol of the link to ancestors and birth.
The hieratic face: The features are stretched in length. The nose is long and straight, the eyes are sketched in a light almond shape, and the mouth is marked by a simple horizontal incision.
2. Ritual use: The family altar and libations
Among the Dogon, a statuette of this nature never leaves the sacred frame of the family compound or the sanctuary of a neighborhood. It serves two major practical functions:
An intercessor on the altar of the Dege: Anthropomorphic statues (generically called Dege) are placed on family altars or in the niches of the houses of the elders (Togu na or Hogon’s house, the spiritual leader). They serve as a physical contact point between the world of the living and that of the ancestors.
The receptacle for offerings: The presence of the cup on top of the head is not merely symbolic. During agricultural rituals (to request rain or good harvests) or during funerals, the priest pours ritual liquids (millet beer, water, the blood of sacrificed animals) onto the statue. The upper cup is designed to symbolically collect part of these offerings in order to nourish the spirit that resides in the wood.
3. Cosmological significance: Fertility and the creation myth
The figure of the woman bearing a burden or a container on her head touches the foundations of Dogon mythological thought:
The allegory of water and life: In the bend of the Niger, water is the most precious resource. The woman carrying the jar or cup embodies the clan’s daily survival, the essential water task, but also the amniotic fluid. It is a celebration of feminine fertility and the continuity of the lineage.
The link between sky and earth: The raised arms that support the cup materialize a vertical axis. In Dogon cosmogony, this gesture recalls the role of Nommo (the mythical twin sent by the creator God Amma), who sustains the celestial vault or brings the holy word from the sky to humans. The bowl on the head also represents the primitive matrix, the ark containing the germs of the world necessary for the creation of the civilized universe.
The packages are sent from Monday to Saturday with insurance and tracking number.
Delivery in 1 to 3 days in France with Chronopost, 2 to 5 days across the European Union.
Delivery to the rest of Europe and worldwide with Colissimo international.
We speak english
Mask african art Afrikanische Maskenkunst arte de máscaras africanas arte delle maschere africane
statue african art Arte de estatuas africanas arte delle statue africane Afrikanische Maskenkunst
Máscara de estatua de galería de arte africano
Seller's Story
Passionate about World Arts and more specifically about African Art, we buy from collectors, former officials, military, health workers, public works staff who have worked in Africa and also in Côte d'Ivoire, from antique dealers and traders who roam across West Africa to find quality objects.
It is with pride that we present works that, beyond their power to beautify spaces, invite our collectors to resonate with the richness and depth of human expression through the most authentic art.
At Arts Ethniques Gallery, we have the privilege of offering our visitors an exclusive selection of artworks, all unique and original. Each piece presented is the outcome of a demanding artistic approach, driven by a singular vision and mastered craftsmanship, all elements that guarantee authenticity and value.
The works we offer are not industrial reproductions. They are individual creations, crafted with sensitivity and precision, each bearing its own story, identity and presence. Originality is the very foundation of our commitment to excellence. Thus, every mask and every statue in our collection is the subject of a rigorous selection, in order to preserve their rarity and singularity.
Acquiring a work from Arts Ethniques Gallery means owning a truly unique piece: a creation that embodies both talent, cultural memory and the expressive force of African art. It is also a lasting investment in a work whose artistic and emotional value transcends time.
We guarantee that every work leaving our gallery is an authentic piece, without replicas, bearing witness to the creativity, heritage and passion of the African artists who shaped them.
We invite you to participate in our gallery’s auctions with confidence. Each presented work is an original, unique and irreplaceable creation, selected with the greatest rigor to guarantee its authenticity and artistic value.
Whether you wish to enrich a personal collection or introduce an exceptional artwork into your space, Arts Ethniques Gallery offers a safe, transparent and professional setting to acquire remarkable pieces.
Art auctions are a privileged moment to discover rare works, capable of becoming the heart of a collection. Acquiring a work at our sales is not just buying an object: it is investing in a creation whose aesthetic value and cultural reach reinforce over time.
The pieces presented by Arts Ethniques Gallery testify not only to the talent and vision of the artists but also possess the ability to transform spaces and enrich the gaze of those who behold them.
Participating in our auctions is taking part in a singular experience, where the passion for art meets the rigors of collecting. Bidding on a work from Arts Ethniques Gallery goes beyond a simple transaction: it is a gesture of commitment and appreciation for art in its most authentic form.
We invite you to bid with passion and to join us in this adventure dedicated to discovery, transmission and celebration of art.
Perhaps your next heart piece is already waiting for you."
Translated by Google TranslateDetails
Indigenous object name
trophy bearer
Ethnic group/ culture
Dogon
Country of Origin
Mali
Material
Wood
Sold with stand
No
Condition
Fair condition
Sold by
