Door lock with couple

19th–early 20th century

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 341

Rural and urban Sahelian residents sponsored blacksmiths to carve visual accents to enhance their homes and mark their social status. The exteriors of Dogon granaries and ancestral shrines feature windows placed midway up the wall, often fitted with wood shutters and locks. Their imagery often emphasizes fertility and reproduction, complementing prayers for a successful harvest from the seeds stored within. Abstracted representations of a male and a female figure extend from the summit of this door lock, emphasizing a balanced and harmonious union. Near the base, fecundity is further emphasized in the depiction of four rounded breasts.

Artwork Details

Overview

Provenance

Exhibition History

References

Title: Door lock with couple
Artist: Dogon blacksmith
Date: 19th–early 20th century
Geography: Mali, Bandiagara Escarpment
Culture: Dogon peoples
Medium: Wood, metal pins
Dimensions: H. 12 7/8 x D. 3 7/8 x W. 1 5/16 in. (32.7 x 9.9 x 3.4 cm)
Classification: Wood-Implements
Credit Line: The Michael C. Rockefeller Memorial Collection, Bequest of Nelson A. Rockefeller, 1979
Object Number: 1979.206.32
Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing

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