Bowl
Not on view
Piebald (spotted) Mongolian horses were not infrequent in Ilkhanid herds and they are often illustrated in this way, creating an engaging fusion of "realism" and decorative intention. Here the stallion is the unquestionable protagonist of the composition, galloping free amid symbolic Chinese-inspired oversize vegetation, yet tame and ideally close to its rider, since it wears bridles, curb bit, and saddle blanket. The curly pattern of the fabric provides a lively contrast to the horse's hide. The way the cover is tightly tied across the horse's body, pointing decidly toward its flanks, was certainly drawn from real observation, as were the straps, perhaps decorated with metal bosses, which partially cover its mane.
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