60 - Equestrian figure

Equestrian figure wearing a moon mask. Wood, traces of white clay and pink ochre pigments, areas of original patina, signs of wear and age, cracks. Western Nepal. H. 49 × W. 56 × D. 16 cm. Provenance: Formerly in the Éric Chazot Collection, Paris. Publication: Himalayas - Éric Chazot, Liliane and Michel Durand-Dessert - Éditions LMDD, 2011 - Volume 2, No. 18. Exhibition: - Espace Durand-Dessert, Paris, September 4, 2010–July 31, 2011. This equestrian figure is distinguished by its round, almost lunar face, worn like a mask. The sculpture masterfully combines full-relief and bas-relief techniques, creating a powerful balance between the figure and his mount. Although still poorly documented, the horsemen of western Nepal have been linked by Jean-Luc Cortès and Jean-Claude Brézillon to a rural and shamanic world, where they may evoke warriors, ancestors, or intercessors.