MALIAN TERRACOTTA DJENNE CROUCHING FIGURE. Patinated terracotta sculpture of a crouching figure from the Djenne culture in Mali. These figures, dating from the 11th to the 17th centuries, are known for their expressive and often enigmatic poses. The figure is hunched over, with its arms clasping an upraised leg and its head tilted sideways to rest against its bent knee. This posture has been interpreted in various ways, including as a representation of illness, mourning, or a symbolic pose intended to bring death to an individual.
NOTE: Oxford Report on Thermoluminescence Analysis (TL), dated 8 November 1979, with result of firing between 310 and 340 years ago (circa AD 1549-1669).
Provenance:
Philippe Guimiot, Belgian Art Dealer, Private Collection, New York City, Mona and James Gavigan, Washington D.C., There acquired - Lenght: 7 inches. Estimate $1,500-2,500
