GURUNSI (Lyéla, Nuna or Sisala), Burkina Faso. Hardwood, dark brown patina. This chaise longue has a backrest that follows the shape of the human body in a semi-recumbent position. This chair is reserved for a land chief or lineage elder and is carved with the head of an ancestor. The reverse is carved with a crocodile. 1st half of the 20th century. Length : 122 cm. Width : 26.5 cm. Height : 73 cm. Note: To be compared with the Barbier Mueller Museum example (see Black African Seats from the Barbier-Mueller Museum, pages 96/97. Editions 5Continents. Provenance: Collection of Patrice CHRISTY, a recognised specialist in wildlife conservation, particularly in Africa. He has co-authored several works on biodiversity, and his work has made a major contribution to the understanding and preservation of bird species in Africa, particularly in Gabon and Sâo-Tomé et Principe. All his objects were collected in the 1970s.