Kotoko Stylized Equestrian Figure

Bright and bumpy, this horse stands on tiptoe with a tiny upright rider.

This stylized Kotoko equestrian figure in cast bronze is Kotoko, from Chad, Central Africa, and dates to the 20th century. The Kotoko are a group of peoples living around Lake Chad, and their towns have a long history of metalworking and small-scale casting. Four tapering legs support a long-eared animal with a drooping muzzle. A small rider with a round head sits upright on its back, and touches of green show in the polished, golden surface. It is 2.25 inches wide, 0.5 deep and 2.25 high.

Spare lines, plenty of spirit, and a tiptoe stance.