Female Figure
Tellem
11th-19th century
Medium
Wood and sacrificial material
Dimensions
49.2 × 6.7 × 6.9 cm (19 5/8 × 2 5/8 × 2 3/4 in.)
Classification
sculpture
Department
Arts of Africa
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
117839
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
The raised arms, pared-down form, and crusty patina of this female figure are hallmarks of the Tellem sculptural style from Mali. Her pose has been interpreted as a plea for rain. Placed on an altar, the figure would have received offerings of sacrifices, resulting in the thick coating that imbued it with a vital energy. The Tellem, who occupied the arid region of the Bandiagara Escarpment from the 11th to the 16th century, are believed to be predecessors of contemporary Dogon people.