Statuette of a Horse and Rider
575-525 BCE
Medium
terracotta
Dimensions
11.4 × 13 × 5.6 cm (4 1/2 × 5 1/8 × 2 3/16 in.)
Classification
earthenware
Department
Arts of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
13977
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
The horse has conical ears, a stiff mane and thick tail, all painted with brown lines. The eyes are circular protrusions with painted centers. On the back, behind the rider is a D shape with a line through it. The legs are ringed with lines. The rider is rudimentary, with short legs, arms grasping the horse's neck and a bulbous head with a slash for the month. The top of the head is painted which extends down the spine and each leg and arm.
About the Artist
Ancient Greek
The artist known simply as "Ancient Greek" represents the anonymous masters of Attic vase painting, a cornerstone of Classical Greek art from the Archaic and Classical periods (circa 700–300 BCE). Little is known of their personal life, as ancient Greek potters and painters rarely signed their works or left biographical traces; early life and training remain not well documented. These creators ope...