Dogon Iron Equestrian Figure

Seated rider with folded arms keeps a calm seat on a table-like horse.

This iron equestrian figure is Dogon, from Mali, West Africa, and dates to the 20th century. The Dogon people of Mali live along the Bandiagara escarpment and are known for their sculpture, masks and a rich body of cosmology. Cast group with a long flat-backed horse standing on four stiff legs, its head extended forward with a hooked muzzle. The rider sits in an upright, relaxed way. The dark metal is rough with scattered pale marks. It is 2.5 inches wide, 1 deep and 3 high.

A very polite ride, all things considered.