THIS DISTINCTIVE CERAMIC KNEELING WOMAN WAS SCULPTED BY CREATIVE AND SKILLFUL ARTISANS IN THE WESTAFRICA REPUBLIC OF MALI. AROUND THE TIME OF ITS CREATION THE MALI EMPIRE WAS AT ITS ZENITH, FOR BY THE END OF THE 12TH CENTURY THE LEGENDARY MALI KING SUNDJIATA HAD GREATLY ENLARGED BOTH THE WEALTH AND SIZE OF HIS TERRITORY. DJENNE, ONE OF THE PROSPERING CITIES AT THAT TIME, ALSO REAPED THE BOUNTY OF THE RIVERS NILE AND BANI, SINCE IT WAS STRATEGICALLY LOCATED AT THE CONFLUENCE OF THESE TWO WATERWAYS. AN ACCESSIBLE AND PLENTIFUL GIFT OF THE RIVERS WAS THE CERAMIC GRIT, A MATERIAL THAT WAS WORKED BY LOCAL ARTISANS IN A SKILLFUL AND IMAGINATIVE WAY. THE RESULT OF THESE EFFORTS WAS THE CREATION OF TERRACOTTA STATUETTES THAT ARE TRULY UNIQUE IN THE WORLD OF CERAMIC ART. HERE WE SEE A STRIKING EXAMPLE OF THE DJENNE ARTISTRY IN THIS TERRACOTTA FIGURE OF A KNEELING WOMAN. WITH LEGS UNDER HER THIGHS AND HANDS RESTING FIRMLY ON HER KNEES SHE GAZES AT THE WORLD WITH A MEDITATIVE EXPRESSION ON HER HIGHLY ELONGATED FACE. BARE BREASTED AND ADORNED WITH A LARGE NECKLACE, WRISTLETS AND A PATTERNED APRON, THIS EXTRAORDINARY FEMALE FIGURE EXEMPLIFIES THE SPIRITED SENSITIVITIES AND CREATIVE IMAGINATION OF THE ARTISTS OF MALI AT A TIME WHEN THE EMPIRE WAS TRULY AT ITS GRANDEST.