Gan Bronze. Snake with Rider. Serpent. Carving. Sculpture. Burkinabe People. Burkina Faso. Africa.
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A lost wax casting and just like others the mold is destroyed every time resulting in a unique and original piece from Burkina Faso. So this is the only piece like this you will ever see.
The Gan ethnic group believe that the serpent possesses protective qualities. And, as a bronze sculpture they are considered sacred and are placed near family alters and community shrines to ward off evil and sickness. The fact that a human character is part of the statue, shows that this particular piece represents an ancestral link between this world and the next.
The Gan are fascinating people and very little is written about them and their bronzes. I have only found one authoritative source, a French book: “Bronzes Gan – la spirale du serpent”, by Bertrand Goy and Maine Durieu, Editions Sépia – 2005. It provides an in depth analysis of the ethnic group and their bronzes.
A sleeved stand is included.
A rare Gan bronze from fascinating ethnic group.
For the Serious Collector.