Bowdoin College Museum of Art

Preview image of work. clay, Horse Figurine 16227

2008.19.2

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Horse Figurine

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Artist

Artist Unidentified

Title

Horse Figurine

Creation Date

799 BCE - 500 BCE

Century

8th-6th century BCE

Dimensions

4 1/4 in. x 5 1/4 in. x 1 1/4 in. (10.8 cm x 13.34 cm x 3.18 cm)

Object Type

ceramic

Creation Place

Ancient Mediterranean

Medium and Support

clay

Copyright

This artwork may be under copyright. For further information, please consult the Museum’s Copyright Terms and Conditions.

Accession Number

2008.19.2

From religion and myth to combat, sport, and transportation, the horse figured prominently in ancient Mediterranean culture and art. Horses were among the earliest subjects explored by Greek artists and remained the most commonly depicted animal in vase painting and sculpture. Artists admired them as symbols of wealth, power, and prestige, but also understood their role as treasured companions of humans, heroes, and the gods. Representations of horses created during the Geometric period of the eighth century BCE document the connection between painting and sculpture. Early sculptures of horses, in profile, mimic closely the painted silhouettes of the animals as if the artist had pulled the form into a three-dimensional shape. In the ensuing centuries, as seen in the examples displayed here, more natural-looking forms were developed and the figure of the horse was appreciated from all sides.