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Equestrian

ca. 1400
Not on view
Returned to lender
This work of art was on loan to the museum and has since been returned to its lender.
On a practical level, the horse provided heightened mobility in the Sahel. Berber nomads of the Sahara kept horses as a sign of status. Soninke people positioned near the desert’s southern edge acquired North African horses from them. Especially useful in warfare, horses gave Soninke leaders a military advantage over neighboring peoples of the savanna. In this equestrian pairing, the horse is a highly abstract yet recognizable presence.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Equestrian
  • Date: ca. 1400
  • Geography: Mali
  • Culture: Soninke peoples
  • Medium: Wood
  • Dimensions: H. 21 3/8 × W. 6 1/2 in. (54.3 (59.7) × 16.5 cm)
  • Classification: Sculpture-Wood
  • Credit Line: Private collection
  • Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing