Dogon Bronze Equestrian Figure

A rider with a beard and a wide-brimmed hat. Both arms out front, gripping the reins. He is going somewhere, and he plans to arrive.

Horse and rider is among the most recurrent images in Dogon art, the mounted figure long carrying associations of prestige, leadership and power. This cast bronze comes from the Dogon peoples of Mali, early 20th century. The horse is long-legged, with an elongated, open-jawed head, a bridle marked by wrapped bands and a pointed tail. The surface is dark and crusty, with reddish-brown deposits and pale highlights.

Four inches tall. Leadership has never required scale.