TELLEM Mali, region of Bandiagara h 33,5 cm Figure... Lot 24

TELLEM Mali, region of Bandiagara h 33,5 cm Figure with a child. Wood covered with a mixture of sacrificial substances. Old fractures. The sculpture depicts an androgenous figure with a long, rolled beard and prominent breasts. The body is mutilated, missing its right arm and left hand, but the female elements of the body are nevertheless well-defined.The breasts are indicative of maternity, confirmed by the child she is carrying on her back. Her young one, attached to her, has her arms open and is resting her feet on her buttocks. The whole sculpture is supported by a thick hemispherical platform.The figure incorporates elements from both sexes, a representation that features heavily in Dogon mythology in the many Nommi works – the divine beings who created the earthly lineage.This rudimentary proto-Dogon work is a rare representation in the world of Tellem sculptures. PROVENANCE Galleria Franco Monti (1954) Life of Franco Monti (*); Former collection of Dr. Carlo De Chiara, Milan (1959); Expertise of Franco Monti on 20th December 1959 (**); * Private collection of heirs;