Dogon Door
Origin: Mali
Approx Age: Late 19th – Early 2oth Century
Materials: Wood, Metal
Dimensions cm: 151 tall to the top of the peg x 65 wide
Ref. Number: 0970
£1200.00
Description:
An extremely weathered and heavily patinated Dogon Door complete with lock. Unlike some Dogon doors, this one is somewhat plain but this does not take away any of its appeals and would be used more so as a door for a house/hut rather than being a protection door on the entrance to a granary/grain store. The door lock is very light in weight due to heavy insect invasion but has since been treated thus being a slightly different colour to the door itself. The bottom peg of the door has been worn/broken away and looking at the heavy use this door displays supports this information. Metal staples have been used to fasten the two pieces of extremely heavy wood together to create the door. Displaying an encrusted patina. On the outer edge of this door, there appears to be a number of carved shapes for what purpose we are unsure.
Provenance: Ex Seward Kennedy Collection
History
Although this particular Dogon Door is quite plain most of the information available generally refers to the more heavily carved door/doors.
A striking design feature of Dogon architecture are the carved shutters, doors and doorways which portray ancestral figures to protect the people and property inside. They have become A striking design feature of Dogon architecture are the carved shutters, doors and doorways which portray ancestral figures to protect the people and property inside. They have become collector’s specialist items in recent years and authentic ones of some age are fast disappearing into private collections.
Door locks found on granary doors give us a wonderful insight into the abstract and symbolic use of animal and figural imagery. The representational carvings of ancestors serve to keep spirits at bay and offer protection from worldly and unworldly sources of harm.
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