Malian Wood Equestrian Figure, Based

Mali has long put its rank and wealth on horseback.

This rider is carved from a single piece of wood in the 20th century. He sits upright on a sturdy horse, with a long elegant torso, a sharply projecting face, a ridged conical coiffure and arms held close. The horse’s arched neck is incised with zigzags and chevrons, and its open mouth gives it an alert, spirited look. A raised saddle frames the rider.

The dry, weathered gray-brown surface shows age and handling. Just over two feet tall on a black base. A fine example of how a horse becomes a sentence.