61 - Equestrian figure

Equestrian figure depicting a smiling rider in the namaste pose. Light-colored wood, antique patina, signs of age and wear. Northwestern Nepal. H. 80 × W. 60 × D. 20 cm. Publication: - Himalayas - Éric Chazot, Liliane and Michel Durand-Dessert - Éditions LMDD, 2011 - Volume 2, No. 64. Exhibition: - Espace Durand-Dessert, September 4, 2010, to July 31, 2011. This equestrian figure stands out for its highly original treatment of the face, which is round and rendered as a flat surface against the mass of the body. His smiling expression lends the entire work a rare sense of joy and ease, as if the rider were fully at one with his mount. The hands joined in a namaste gesture imbue the sculpture with a sense of dignity, presence, and harmony rather than conquest.