DOGON
WOOD HORSEMAN 12
38.75" high
$1500
SOLD
These carved wooden equestrian figures express status, prestige and power. They would bring honor to the ancestors, the current leadership and the owner of the sculpture. Although rare, horsemen as icon have existed for 1000 years in Mali. Some would depict a hogon, the supreme officeholder, a semi-divine leader of great wisdom, or even a mythological emissary from a distant land. Many would be depicted as warriors.
Despite its appearance this Dogon horsemen was probably made to be sold. There is a stable crack on the face of the horse and another on its chest and left leg. There is a small crack on the left side of the beard with a chip missing. The spot near the eye is just discoloration, not a hole. The figure probably held a spear, which is lost.
|
TRIBE |
OBJECT |
|