Kotoko Bronze Equestrian Figure

Rider with a banded cap peers across a looping scroll neck.

This equestrian figure in cast bronze is Kotoko, from Chad, Central Africa, and dates to the 20th century. Horses have long been linked with status and leadership in the Sahel, where mounted riders are often associated with chiefs, warriors and courts. Golden mount with four tall, tapering legs and a neck that curls into a loop. The rider wears a tall ribbed cap, rests a hand near the mouth, and a twisted band crosses the shoulder. It is 2.5 inches wide, 0.75 deep and 3.25 high.

Thoughtful posture and an impressively tall hat.