Horseman statue — Bamana/Bambara hunter horseman — Bamana, Mali — African tribal art — Ref. 203

Description

Originating from the Bamana people of Mali, this wooden sculpture represents a hieratic horseman mounted on a horse with elongated and rigid forms, typical of Bamana aesthetics. The figure wears the headdress of a chief or hunter and firmly holds the reins in the right hand, while the left arm holds a ritual gun. This type of figure is generally associated with initiated hunters of the Donso ton, or with representations of heroic and protective ancestors. The whole piece shows an old brown and crusty patina, with traces of earth, attesting to long exposure or ritual use. The noble and fixed attitude of the horseman evokes authority, mastery and symbolic rootedness. The vertical proportions, triangular face with straight nose and rigid limbs confirm an attribution to the Bamana style rather than to the Dogon style, which is close but more angular and stylised.

Technical details

Type of piece

Statue

Category

Statues

Ethnic group

Bamana

Country

Mali

Materials

wood

Dimensions

H 76 × W 12 × D 35 cm

Weight

4,7 kg

Estimated dating

second half 20th c.

Restoration / losses

One arm restored

Laboratory test

Not tested

Reference

203