Senufo Horse & Rider - Abstract Depiction

The rider has lost his horse’s attention and kept his dignity.

Senufo metalworkers of the Ivory Coast, West Africa, cast this horse and rider in bronze. Horse-and-rider figures are widely made across the Sahel and savanna regions and are often associated with status and authority. This one is reduced to essentials. The horse is an arch of metal with a short head and a ruff at the neck. A slender rider rises from its back, one arm lifted. The surface is a mottled olive green and brown, with a rough cast texture.

About 5 inches tall. Pocket-sized authority.