Terracotta figures, Mali 13th century

 

Seated Figure, Mali, Inland Niger Delta region, Djenné peoples, 13th century, terracotta, 25/4 x 29.9 cm (The Metropolitan Museum of Art)

There are several of these terracotta figures that were found in the region of Mali which is known as the ancient city of Jenne-jeno. This region was known for its trade system and art through the first millennium up to 1600. These figures come in various forms as far as gender, their clothes, and several different poses and some even on horseback. The figure pictured above is most likely a male who is in a hunched over pose grasping onto its legs with their arms. The facial expression leads scholars to believe this sculpture is experiencing some sort of pain due to the open mouth, swelling of the stomach and legs, also the prominent eyes. Another part of this figure that is slightly interesting would be the circles that are protruding on the back and also the indentions in the middle of the protrusions. This also adds to the idea that this figure might me experiencing some type of sickness or disease and it is impacting their skin. 

Back view, Seated Figure, terracotta, 13th century, Mali, Inland Niger Delta region, Djenné peoples, 25/4 x 29.9 cm

The process in which these were made is believed to be by artists who lived throughout the Inland Niger Delta around the 13th -16th century. "Artists-either men or women- modeled the figures by hand, using clay mixed grog-crushed potsherds (a piece of fragment of earthenware or pot that is made of fired or baked clay)." (C. Clarke, 2006) Once these pieces go through the initial fire some are painted or dipped in different slips then they are fired one more time. There is a lot of unknown to these figures which leaves a lot of speculation to what they might mean or what their characteristics mean, which adds to their value! 

https://smarthistory.org/lost-history-the-terracotta-sculpture-of-djenne-djenno/

https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/art-africa/west-africa/mali1/a/seated-figure-djenn-peoples