Dark Sejnane Standing Figure
One-of-a-kind hand-built pottery sculpture by Hadda Saidani in Sejnane, Tunisia.
This freestanding human figure combines a rounded head, prominent ears, a modelled face, and a narrow cylindrical body. Its eyes, nose, and mouth emerge through direct modelling, giving the sculpture an expressive presence despite the restraint of its overall form.
A deep black surface extends across the figure, with subtle brown and grey tonal variation remaining visible under changing light. Small irregularities and traces of hand-finishing contribute to the individuality of the piece.
Made without a potter’s wheel, the sculpture reflects Hadda Saidani’s personal work within the wider pottery tradition of Sejnane. It stands independently and measures approximately 30 centimetres high.
- Maker: Hadda Saidani
- Origin: Sejnane, Tunisia
- Object: Freestanding human figure
- Material: Hand-built earthenware
- Technique: Formed by hand without a potter’s wheel
- Colour: Deep black with subtle brown and grey tonal variation
- Height: Approximately 30 cm
- Use: Decorative sculpture
Each sculpture is formed individually by hand. Variations in modelling, proportions, markings, colour and surface belong to its handmade character, so no two pieces will be exactly alike.
The sculpture was formed by hand rather than on a potter’s wheel. Its modelling and painted surface belong within the wider knowledge of Sejnane pottery, where women have developed methods of preparing clay, building forms, decorating surfaces and firing objects through generations of practice.
Hadda Saidani is a potter and sculptor from Sejnane in northern Tunisia. Her work includes vessels and sculptural forms, particularly individually modelled human figures.
This sculpture belongs to a group of four documented figures by Hadda, each approximately 30 centimetres high but different in proportion, modelling, decoration, and surface treatment.
Meet Hadda Saidani and explore her work.
Display indoors on a stable, level surface. Lift the sculpture with both hands from its base and body rather than from its head or other projecting details.
Keep it away from impacts, prolonged moisture and sudden temperature changes. Dust gently with a soft, dry cloth. Do not use abrasive or chemical cleaning products.