178 - TWO-PANEL ATTIC DOOR, DECORATED WITH SCENES ON SEVERAL LEVELS - Mali - Dogon

TWO-PANEL ATTIC DOOR, DECORATED WITH SCENES ON SEVERAL LEVELS - Mali - Dogon First half of the 20th century. Wood with a light patina. Dimensions: H. 118 cm; W. 55 cm. Engraved chevron/zigzag bands framing each register. The composition is organized into several horizontal bands: Registers of figures arranged in rows (read vertically, with several columns per panel) - repeated stylized anthropomorphic figures, aligned in superimposed registers, typical of the decorative vocabulary of Dogon granary doors (ancestral figures, often interpreted as a genealogical representation or a codified ritual scene). A lizard/gecko in high relief, isolated in a separate cartouche on the left door panel. A sinuous snake carved on the lower register of the left door panel. The lock, consisting of a wooden mechanism visible on the right door panel (a protruding horizontal section with a locking mechanism), confirms that this is a functional door and not a standalone decorative panel. Condition: Crusty patina, signs of wear, surface erosion visible in places. A central vertical slit between the two door panels, with a metal hinge visible at the top (original fastening or restoration). A vertical crack running through both door panels; significant loss of material on the right panel. Research and Documentation: Coryse Mwape – Art historian specializing in ancient African art. Internal Ref.: 319