Pirogue Royal - Dogon - Mali (No reserve price)

This bronze-alloy pirogue, with elongated shapes, features several figures: the king and his wife, their son, as well as royal guards, gathered for a journey into the world of Dogon tribal art.

But beyond this scene, the work refers to a major episode of Dogon mythology: the tale of the mythical ark, led by Nommo and sent by the creator god Amma to populate the earth and reorganize the world.

The lizard-shaped creature that forms the bow and stern represents Ayo Geu, the crocodile who, according to the myth, killed Nommo. The eight figures seated in the boat are, in turn, the original ancestors of the Dogon. These figures regularly appear in Dogon sculpture, notably on ritual objects and granary doors.

The sides of the pirogue are decorated with motifs representing snakes, another important figure in the fauna associated with Dogon mythology. The whole thus blends human representation, animal symbols, and mythological narrative, giving this pirogue a dimension far deeper than a simple scene of navigation.