Dogon, Mali - Lot 26

Lot n° 26
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Estimation :
8000 - 10000 EUR
Dogon, Mali - Lot 26
Dogon, Mali Wooden pilaster Presumed late 19th century Height: 160 cm Provenance : - Former P. Ginaillhac collection, France - Former private collection, Belgium This imposing pole was used to support the roof of the Toguna hut, built when a village was founded. It was the place where the council of elders, reserved exclusively for men, met to discuss matters of collective interest. It features a thick thatched roof, with eight layers of millet bales symbolizing the eight lineages of the Dogon ancestors. The palaver hut is oriented north-south, with a very low roof - around 1.20m from the ground - forcing the men to remain seated to prevent them from coming to blows in the event of discord. In this way, any dispute could only be settled by talking. Used to support the framework, with its forks wide open, this post is adorned at its center with a female figure in high relief. The eroded base, stained ochre by laterite, was deeply embedded in the ground. The representation of the female body, resting on short legs and dominated by the head with its shaved head and stylized features, is essentially focused on the oversized breasts and wide-open vulva, symbols of fertility. A majestic representation of the primordial female ancestor, its powerful archaism expresses the intact spirituality of a thousand-year-old culture.
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