Rare Antique Bronze Dogon Rider & Horse From Mali - Africa - 8"H

The sculpture is a vintage African cast bronze horse and rider from the Dogon people of Mali, West Africa, likely from the 19th century due to the amount of oxidation. It was obtained from an estate sale here in Ottawa along with my other Gouache paintings (see other listing). I was told it was picked up close to Mali in the 60's. Again it's date looks to be much older than when it was purchased. The Dogon are an ethnic group located mainly in the administrative districts of Bandiagara and Douentza in Mali, West Africa. The precise origin of the Dogon, like those of many other ancient cultures, is undetermined. They have lived in Mali since the 15th century, wedged between two seemingly infinite bodies, the Sahara below and the universe above. Their sculpture, especially the figurative iron, bronze, and brass casting by blacksmiths, constitutes one of the most remarkable artistic traditions of West Africa, reaching back to the period of the great Empire of Mali as early as the 12th century, with a rich variety of sculptural styles and subject matter. In many West African traditional communities, blacksmiths enjoyed a privileged position, as they master the elements earth, air and fire. It is the blacksmith who makes “magic” figures, casts protective amulets, and instills power and meaning into objects they are commissioned to create. While working, they go into a sort of spell and commiserate with their ancestors. In a sense, they summon their muse. The art of the Dogon deals with the complex ensemble of myth and its regulation of the life of the individual. In Dogon society, horses were generally considered a luxury reserved for rich or powerful people. Horses also occur in Dogon beliefs about the creation of the world, where horse and rider figures are seen as a symbol of a mythological personage. The horse is incorporated into many ceremonial and functional sculptures, and equestrian figures are common in Dogon art, with the bronze figure sharing the long tradition of figurative iron, bronze, and brass casting by blacksmiths in West Africa. 📍 Located near Walkley Rd. and Bank St. 📍 Can also meet near Carling Ave and Bronson Ave most weekdays between 10am - 3pm.