This bronze statue is approximately 7 inches tall, with very strong lines formed by the flat shapes of the legs and neck. These lines flow into cylinder shapes that form the tail, head, and body. The space under the horse is expanded beyond that of a real horse, shifting the proportions from an actual horse. The ears are oversized and pricked up, giving a feeling of attention and energy to the animal. The stand of the statue includes triangular holes making it look like the horse is standing on rocky ground. The combination is a very geometric and modern-looking representation of a horse (“Statuette of a horse [Greek]”).
Despite its modern appearance, this statue is from 8th century Greece (“Statuette of a horse [Greek]). Statues like this were placed in Greek sanctuaries, sacred places that people believed divided the human world from the world of the gods. The sanctuary would contain an altar, a statue of a god, and other relevant art objects (“Sanctuary,” 401).
This statute may be related to war and the Greek god of war, Ares. That is because Ares had special horses that pulled his chariot. A sanctuary for Ares could be where warriors prayed for victory. There are a number of references to Aries and his horses in ancient writing (“Arean Horses”). This horse statute looks proud, bold, and energetic enough to be pulling the chariot of a Greek god.
Works Cited
“Sanctuary.” A Dictionary of Ancient Greek Civilisation. Ed. Fernand Hazan. 1970. Web. 14 June 2013.
"Statuette of a horse [Greek] (21.88.24)". Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. Web. 14 June 2013.
“Arean Horses.” Theoi Greek Mythology. Web. 14 June 2013.
