Gan Figure, Loropéni Region, Burkina Faso, Late 19th – Early 20th Century

A seated wrought-iron figure with a slender body and deliberately simplified forms. Long, forward-leaning legs end in flat, slightly raised feet. The narrow torso rises to an elongated head, almost geometrically austere, where only the eyes and mouth are indicated by brief incisions. The arched shoulders extend the supple movement of the metal. One arm follows the line of the body while the other curves around the shoulder to rest on the small of the back, a singular gesture that contributes to the strong graphic presence of the piece. Wrought iron, old brown patina, signs of age (see photos). Gan, Loropéni region, Burkina Faso, late 19th – early 20th century. Dimensions: 9.1 × 3 × 4 × 6.5 cm. Provenance: former private collection, Paris. Sold with a certificate of authenticity from expert Serge Reynes.* Shipping costs upon request. "The small wrought iron figures of the Gan people, often considered apotropaic or therapeutic objects, played an important role in local rituals. They were placed in household altars or entrusted to ritual specialists to protect the home, ward off harmful forces, or symbolically address specific bodily pains. The hand placed on the lower back could evoke a precise location of the ailment to be repelled or cured, according to a system of analogy common in West African ritual practices. Through the tension of its lines, the extreme simplicity of its face, and the elegance of its silhouette, this effigy perfectly encapsulates the minimalist and powerful style characteristic of ancient Gan art."