20th Century Tribal Hardwood Dogon Window Panel

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20th Century Tribal Hardwood Dogon Window Panel

About the Item

20th century tribal hardwood Dogon window panel The Dogon tribe is one of Africa's most fascinating tribes, but also a vanishing one. Located in the region of Mali, in West Africa, south of the Niger Bend, they've been living there since the 15th Century. The Dogon are best known for their religious traditions, their mask dances, wooden sculpture and their architecture. Historically, Dogon villages were established in the Bandiagara area in consequence of the Dogon people's collective refusal to give up their religious and cultural beliefs a thousand years ago. Dogon insecurity in the face of these historical pressures caused them to locate their villages in defensible positions along the walls of the escarpment. Because of this isolation, their art has remained one of the most authentic on the African continent and it has remained mostly intact. A striking design feature of Dogon architecture are the carved doors, windows and doorways which portray ancestral figures to protect the people of the village and their families. The representational carvings of ancestors serve to keep spirits at bay and offer protection from worldly and unworldly sources of harm. Primordial beings, ancestors, Kanaga masks, sun lizards and scenes of life symbolically served to protect the entrance by making it sacrosanct. The low reliefs are carved on one or two panels, held together by iron staples. The Dogon realize that they are not the first inhabitants of the land that they now occupy. Their myths, legends, traditions and art retain the memories of their predecessors. These items have various uses in their society; first as the physical closure to their granaries, secondly they are created and exchanged as gifts for birthdays, marriages, tokens of luck and rites of passage bequests and thirdly, when used as a part of the architecture, as a window or shutter, in a private abode, through the use of symbols they are used to describe the occupation of the person or that persons persona or status in the village. Lastly it served as a sign to taxpayers, letting them know which form of payment was accepted in the adjoining building. The symbolic styling of the windows and panels can vary. Pairs of breasts, representing femininity and fertility are usually found. Village dancers wearing the famed rabbit eared Walu mask or the tall Kanaga headdress are typically exhibited. The Kanaga masks are worn by members of the Awa Society dancing on the roof of the deceased in order to lead his soul (nyama) to its resting place as well as defending the survivors from the harm a wandering soul might inflict upon them. Important Tellum ancestors, figures with arms raised skyward, form replicated rows on the sought after traditionally carved panels, windows and shutters. A herringbone pattern can often be found running down the sides of these selections representing the vibration of water and light. When found the window latch is surmounted by one or two larger figures who are members of the famed founding primordial couple. Other themes include but are not limited to village scenes, warriors on horseback, animal figures, gecko lizards which represent luck and large crocodiles which denote power. The panel offered here is very well carved. All of the figures are crisp and clear and well detailed. Dimensions without frame (only the Dogon Window) Cm - 69 H x 42 W x 5 D In - 27.16 H x 16.53 W x 1.96. Photos by João Boullosa - Porto / Portugal joaoboullosa . com We are completely transparent regarding the condition of the used items we sell. We do not use stock photos in our listings. The pictures found on each product page are pictures we took of the actual individual item being sold. Please review every photo before purchasing an item. Professional studio photography uses specific lighting to emphasize the characteristics of the products. This type of photographs taken in a controlled and appropriate environment can make the natural reflections of the articles not visible. There may also be differences between the photos and the original, depending on the type of screen and resolution where it is displayed. Please check each listing carefully and let us know if you have any questions or require additional information. In most cases all used products have been previously restored (in the case of wood (polished, varnished or lacquered).; all fabrics used are new. Some leather pieces may have the original upholstery as well as mirrors or other elements that we consider absolutely irreplaceable. Used items cannot be viewed as new. They have all gone decades and sometimes centuries of history. If in doubt, please contact us and request further pictures or more detailed description, in case the information available is not sufficiently clarifying.

Creator:
Dogon Tribe Mali (Sculptor)
Dimensions:
Height: 46.06 in (117 cm)Width: 37.4 in (95 cm)Depth: 2.36 in (6 cm)
Style:
Tribal (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Hardwood,Hand-Carved
Place of Origin:
Mali
Period:
1960-1969
Date of Manufacture:
Circa 1960
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use. Used items cannot be viewed as new.They have all gone decades and sometimes centuries of history.If in doubt, please contact us and request further pictures or more detailed description, if the information and pictures are not clear enough. Thank you.
Seller Location:
Matosinhos, PT
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU4816215427062