Yoruba Bronze Equestrian Figure

A rider holds a cup on his head. The horse is in no hurry.

Yoruba metalworkers of Nigeria, West Africa, cast this equestrian figure in bronze in the 20th century. Horse and rider figures are commonly associated with authority and status in the region. A rider with a small cup-like crown sits on a strong animal with an arched neck, and a long rope or cord loops from his hand down to the base. The bronze is a mix of brown and verdigris, rough at the joins and darkened in the deep spots. It sits on a round open base.

About 4.5 inches tall. Small, busy and full of detail.