"Petit ange" by Hamidou | Small angel made of bronze | Unique piece from Burkina Faso

"Petit Ange" by Hamidou Ouedraogo, bronze, 2022

Hamidou Ouedraogo (*1981) is an artisan in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. He began training in bronze art in 2000. Since then, he has been passing on his unique know-how to his apprentices in his workshop in Ouagadougou. He uses a specific method to create special bronze silhouettes: the lost wax casting process.

Bronze working is a traditional craft in Burkina Faso. The term bronze refers to different alloys based on copper, zinc, lead and tin, which are present in different proportions. Today, bronze is made from the recycling of old fittings, such as faucets or parts of air conditioning units. Bronze working or the Lost Wax Technique is a unique technique that is thousands of years old, here is its process: The artist first creates a figure out of beeswax, which is filled with a clay mixture and dried. The mold is then fired and the molten wax comes out through the holes previously drilled. The molten alloy, which comes from the recycling of old fittings, is poured into the empty mold. Once it has cooled, the mold is broken to remove the sculpture and make the final finishing touches.

Each piece is therefore unique! You will receive an original figure by this talented artist from Burkina Faso and thereby support him directly. The product may or will necessarily differ from the picture.

Height: approx. 6.3 cm
Weight: 140g

Handmade & fairly traded in Burkina Faso, West Africa.