23 May 2011

Greek bronze figure of a horse

From the Geometric Period, circa 8th century B.C.
...of Corinthian type, of stylized attenuated form standing on an openwork rectangular base, with crested mane, long forward-pointing ears, and cylindrical muzzle; height 5 3/4 in. 14.6 cm. Estimate 150,000—250,000 USD. Lot Sold 842,500 US. 
Photo: Sotheby's.  Found at Les cahiers d'Alain Truong, via The Ancient World.

(I have to admit the first couple times I viewed this photo, I saw a horse with it's neck extended and mouth wide open.  It wasn't until I read the description that I realized the nose/mouth is presented as a cylinder and the upper part of the head is the ears/mane presumably.  Viewed either way, it's still a striking image.  And crafted in the 8th centurty B.C....)

Addendum: 032125 knew of another strikingly similar example, from the same period, in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

4 comments:

  1. This is exceedingly similar to another horse in the Met Museum.

    http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/21.88.24

    The heavily stylized form doesn't seem consistent (to me, so take with salt) with Greek art even that far back; I'd swear this thing has some practical function that we are unaware of, like a hand towel rack or simple abacus, etc.

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  2. Excellent. I've added the link to the post.

    Thank you, 032125.

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  3. I wonder if it's modelled after an Arab breed? They've got the characteristic concave facial structure

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  4. The abstraction of the form of the horse is just spectacularly gorgeous. If I had $842.5K to spare, I'd have bought it. Wouldn't you love to have met the sculptor?

    --Swift Loris

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