Equestrian
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
- 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