Equestrian Statue from Mali

This simplified statue is made of iron. It comes from Dogon country the raised hand would indicate the veneration of an ancestor.

There is a great variety of artistic styles in Mali. It is precisely this variety that makes collecting them so interesting.

Although simple, this statue has great charm. The warrior sits in a tiny saddle with a pommel and cantle shaped exactly like the pommel and cantle of the saddle from Mali found in this collection in the saddle section on this website. The surface of the iron is rough and yet surprising details such as the bridle and the facial features are clear. Iron is very valuable commodity to the Dogon people and clearly denotes wealth.

5” (13 cm) height 6 1/4” (16 cm) width

Provenance: purchased from Harvey Derrien by private collector 1990’s approx value £18