Mémoire d’Afrique — Ref. 161
Dogon couple with children — Dogon, Mali — African tribal art — Ref. 161
Unavailable
Description
This sculpture embodies symbolic elements connected with family, fertility and wisdom in Malian culture. The child on the woman’s lap represents fertility, motherhood and the transmission of life, illustrating the crucial role of women in procreation and education. The child carried on the back emphasises maternal protection, a traditional African practice in which the child is physically and symbolically supported by the mother. This carrying practice reflects the link between generations and the continuity of family heritage.
The man smoking a pipe refers to notions of wisdom and patriarchal authority. In certain African cultures, the pipe is a symbol of maturity and reflection, often connected with ancestral rites. The act of smoking may evoke male authority within the family and the community, while also expressing a certain serenity associated with life experience.
Together, these elements describe a scene in which family unity and the respective roles of men and women in Dogon society are highlighted, stressing the importance of the transmission of knowledge and life.
Technical details
- Availability
- Unavailable
- Type of piece
- Statue
- Category
- Statues
- Ethnic group
- Dogon
- Country
- Mali
- Materials
- wood
- Dimensions
- H 125 × W 29 × D 28 cm
- Weight
- 20,4 kg
- Estimated dating
- second half 20th c.
- Laboratory test
- Not tested
- Reference
- 161