Lobi Abstract Seated Figure

Six inches of hammered iron. A loop for a head, a heart drawn around the body.

Lobi smiths of Burkina Faso made this abstract seated figure in the early 20th century. Lobi households kept shrines for protective spirits, and small iron figures were among the objects placed there or carried for protection. A tiny ring hangs from the arching head. The arms swing wide and meet low in front of the chest, while the legs bend outward and curl into hooks that overlap at the front. Coarse rust and pale mineral deposits cover the surface.

Draw it with one line, as the smith did.