Hearts made of bronze | Table decoration, pendants | by Hamidou | Unique pieces | various sizes, handmade

These beautiful and simple bronze hearts were created by Burkinabe artisan Hamidou Ouedraogo. They can be used to decorate shelves, tablecloths, etc. You can also hang them on a keychain.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 processing is a traditional craft in Burkina Faso. The term bronze refers to various alloys based on copper, zinc, lead and tin, which occur in different proportions. Today, bronze is made from recycling old fittings, such as taps or air conditioning parts. Bronze processing or the lost wax casting process "Lost Wax Technique" is a unique, millennia-old technique, 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 melted wax comes out through the previously drilled holes. The molten alloy, which comes from recycling old fittings, is poured into the empty mold. Once cooled, the mold is broken to remove the sculpture and do the final finishing touches. Each piece is therefore unique! You will receive an original figure of this talented artist from Burkina Faso and thus support him directly. The product can or will inevitably differ from the picture because each piece is made by hand.Circumference: 5.5 / 7 / 10 cmWeight: 20 / 40 / 50 g Attention, not a toy! The lower tip of the heart can be relatively pointed or sharp and could cause injury to small children. Handmade & fairly traded in Burkina Faso, West Africa.