Dogon Iron Equestrian Figure

The rider leans forward with an arm along the horse's neck, as if sharing a secret.

This equestrian figure is Dogon, from Mali, West Africa, and dates to the 20th century. It is iron. Horse and rider figures appear often in Dogon art, where the mounted man is usually read as a sign of status, and the horse itself as an emblem of wealth. The horse stands on a flat oval plate, four straight legs and a long, drooping head. The rider sits high, peaked head and jutting chin, one leg bent sharply at the knee. It is 3 inches wide and 3.5 high.

A small horse, carrying a man with somewhere to be.