Dogon
Republic of MaliFemale Fertility Figure, ca. 1920
Not on view
Wood (ebony), beads
Dimensions9 × 2 1/2 × 2 1/2 in. (22.9 × 6.4 × 6.4 cm)
Gift of Dr. Robert and Deanna Harris Burger, 2011.72
This carved female figure is a common type of African sculpture. In the Dogon tribe in Africa, it is believed that art can act as a conduit to the spirit world, permit supernatural forces entry into the human world, or bestow good or ill fortune on humankind. Often objects communicate the rules and customs that members of the societies are expected to follow.
