Oxidized Gray Early 20th Century Carved Door

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Description

Some motifs you recognize the instant you see them. The bold X carved into a diamond frame at the heart … Read more Some motifs you recognize the instant you see them. The bold X carved into a diamond frame at the heart of this panel is one of them, the signature mark of the Bwa or Gurunsi carving tradition in Burkina Faso, bordered above and below by dense woven basket-weave lattice and a fine row of carved dots. The wood carries an oxidized gray patina, built up slowly rather than applied, and on the reverse a dark iron lock plate still marks where this door once locked shut, real evidence of a piece that worked for a living before it became art. It sits within a later wood mounting frame, added for stability and display rather than original to the door itself, we'd rather tell you that plainly than let you assume otherwise.

What we love about a carved door like this is its confidence, one strong motif, perfectly centered, doing all the talking. Hang it somewhere it can be approached straight on, a narrow hallway, a stair landing, anywhere the X gets to be the first thing a person's eye finds.

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