Dogon Bronze Equestrian Figure

In the Sahel, a horse said something about a man before he said a word.

Horses were costly and prestigious there, and mounted figures became a familiar emblem of authority in Dogon art. This one was cast in bronze by Dogon artists of Mali in the 20th century and stands three inches tall. The horse has a long, open-mouthed head with a round eye, a neck wrapped in twisted rope-like detail, a straight body, squared legs ending in block feet, and a tail that curves down to a squared tip. The rider sits tall and upright, hands drawn to his chest, a smaller head-like form rising at the base of the horse’s neck before him.

Crusty brown, with traces of green.