Northern Greece, Roman period, Thrace, ca. 3rd century BCE to 3rd century CE. A finely cast leaded-bronze horse and a separate leaded-bronze male soldier figure. The rider wears a Phrygian (Thracian) style of helmet with the distinctive conical shape, a cloak over his shoulder, and his right hand raised, presumably holding a weapon - perhaps a sword. He is nude from the waist down, and his legs are slightly bent in a riding position. While often cast separately from their horse, this rider and horse are probably not a matched pair - the horse is too petite for the rider to balance upon - but together they demonstrate a popular theme of the Thracian horseman - the horse and rider symbolizing victory and strength were a recurring motif on eastern Balkan mythology during the Roman era. This horse is galloping forward, the tail straight out behind and the front legs bent in a dynamic pose. Size (horse): 2.8" L x 0.5" W x 1.5" H (7.1 cm x 1.3 cm x 3.8 cm); (soldier): 2.45" L x 1.45" W (6.2 cm x 3.7 cm)

Provenance: East Coast collection, New York Gallery, New York City, New York, USA, acquired before 2010

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#132438

Horse and rider may not be a matched pair, the rider cannot balance on the horse, and the horse is not proportional to rider. Horse has stable cavity on back, likely from another rider figure that was attached. Stable fissure on front legs and surface abrasions and nicks to head, otherwise intact. Rider figure has chip to lower hand and abrasion to groin area, otherwise intact and very good.